Pierre François Antoine Molteni (Italian: [molˈteːni];[1] 1786 – 7 January 1866), also known as Antoine Molteno or François Molteno, was a manufacturer and trader in optical instruments and other scientific equipment, who built the first devices used by Louis Daguerre and founded the "Maison Molteni" in Paris.
Their factory and warehouses were located on the same street, where their steam engines, rolling mills and metal smelters served the laboratories and manufacturing lines.
[13] The Molteni family also designed and built naval & marine instruments, mathematical, geodesic and measuring devices, photography apparatus and many of the early lighting systems.
[14] From 24 December 1836, Antoine brought his eldest son Pierre Marie Joseph Molteni (1811-1852) into active management of the business.
In 1863 Jules and his elderly father brought Joseph's son François Marie Alfred Molteni (1837 - 1907), and the firm became known as "J.
Already from 1865 the dynamic Alfred played the most active role, and after Jules died on 25 May 1876, he directed the firm alone until 1899, when he handed it over to Radiguet and Massiot in 1899.