Historic military Telescopes: Early 19thC Dollond

Rick · 8th January 2009, 06:43 PM

Here you go .
Been in the family forever .
Dad recovered the barrel and added turks heads .

Atlantia · 8th January 2009, 07:01 PM

Well Rick!
Thats an impressive device! I'm sure Mr Eley willl be more or an expert on it than I, but I'll certainly give an opinion!

Your Dads recovering isn't a problem, the leather looks fine, and the turks heads add to the nautical look.
Apart from that it looks pretty original.
So, does it work? Do you get a good clear image? It should be fairly simple to take apart and carefully clean if its a bit grubby inside.
Date! Well, its a fairly complex instrument, with a leather covered brass outer barrel, the makers name looks hand engraved and is in nice script, so I'd guess at about 1840-60.
Its a fine piece, very expensive in its day. And its day was a golden age!

Regards
Gene

P.S.

I really rate these early telescopes.
I'm assuming yours IS nautical, and of course that was the most common use for them. Forget the Naval warships, and Just think of the other ships of the mid 19th that would have had one of these onboard (or two!)
The Clippers racing across the oceans, the other trade ships, the explorers, the passenger carriers, the steamers, the river boats, every one needed a good telescope, and every time (almost) something worthy of note happened or was seen or discovered, it was seen first through the Telescope.

I always think of Nelson holding the telescope to his blind eye! lol
These instruments are an incredibly important part of world history.

Phew, *enthusiasm off*

Rick · 8th January 2009, 07:48 PM

Yes, the family was in the mercantile trade; foodstuffs .

Cobb Bates and Yerxa Importers and Grocers, Boston 19thC. ; later to become S.S. Pierce .

Atlantia · 8th January 2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Yes, the family was in the mercantile trade; foodstuffs .

Cobb Bates and Yerxa Importers and Grocers, Boston 19thC. ; later to become S.S. Pierce .

Hi Rick,
Well I'm happy! I was only 10 years off in my estimation of age! Here is the full SP on Spencer Browning:

Spencer Browning Rust worked in London from 1724 to 1840 when the name was changed to Spencer Browning & Co. after the death of Ebenezer Rust. The successor, Spencer Browning had offices at a number of addresses on Wapping High Street, London and were in business until 1870. They had an early dividing machine and inscribed arcs for others.

Ref: Gloria Clifton, Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 (London, 1995), p. 261.

Its a lovely piece, does it work well?

Hmmm, think I may change my name to Ebeneezer Rust!

Rick · 8th January 2009, 09:49 PM

Thank you Atlantia .

It does, or did 50 years ago (needs another disassembly and cleaning).

Interestingly enough there is a neatly scratched or scribed ring on the eyepiece tube that may be a 'starting point' from which to begin focussing on objects a mile or so away .

I wish I had the eyepiece shutter ..

Atlantia · 9th January 2009, 04:00 AM

Hi Rick,
You are very welcome bud

Is it just the little sliding cover missing?
Its a nice big scope, do you think it was used on a 'family' ship?
Be interesting to sight something at the range of the mark on a clear road then use the car tripometer to measure the distance!

Regards
Gene

Rick · 9th January 2009, 03:09 PM

Yup Gene, just the eyepiece slide/shutter is missing .
As far as company vessels go I have no records of that .

There were 7 brothers in my family during that era (mid-late 19thC); many of them I have no information on except all 7 fought in the Civil War ; maybe there is a military connection rather than Maritime ..

As for the scribed line; I live on a salt marsh about a mile wide .
The tele is usable to focus when set at the line; not in focus per se, but at least you can spot your object then focus finer .

I can see the passengers in the cars across the marsh quite well .

8th January 2009, 06:43 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Battered Here you go . Been in the family forever . Dad recovered the barrel and added turks heads . Attached Images

8th January 2009, 07:01 PM	#2
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Well Rick! Thats an impressive device! I'm sure Mr Eley willl be more or an expert on it than I, but I'll certainly give an opinion! Your Dads recovering isn't a problem, the leather looks fine, and the turks heads add to the nautical look. Apart from that it looks pretty original. So, does it work? Do you get a good clear image? It should be fairly simple to take apart and carefully clean if its a bit grubby inside. Date! Well, its a fairly complex instrument, with a leather covered brass outer barrel, the makers name looks hand engraved and is in nice script, so I'd guess at about 1840-60. Its a fine piece, very expensive in its day. And its day was a golden age! Regards Gene P.S. I really rate these early telescopes. I'm assuming yours IS nautical, and of course that was the most common use for them. Forget the Naval warships, and Just think of the other ships of the mid 19th that would have had one of these onboard (or two!) The Clippers racing across the oceans, the other trade ships, the explorers, the passenger carriers, the steamers, the river boats, every one needed a good telescope, and every time (almost) something worthy of note happened or was seen or discovered, it was seen first through the Telescope. I always think of Nelson holding the telescope to his blind eye! lol These instruments are an incredibly important part of world history. Phew, enthusiasm off Last edited by Atlantia; 8th January 2009 at 07:14 PM.

8th January 2009, 07:48 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Yes, the family was in the mercantile trade; foodstuffs . Cobb Bates and Yerxa Importers and Grocers, Boston 19thC. ; later to become S.S. Pierce .

8th January 2009, 09:49 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Thank you Atlantia . It does, or did 50 years ago (needs another disassembly and cleaning). Interestingly enough there is a neatly scratched or scribed ring on the eyepiece tube that may be a 'starting point' from which to begin focussing on objects a mile or so away . I wish I had the eyepiece shutter ..

9th January 2009, 04:00 AM	#6
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Hi Rick, You are very welcome bud Is it just the little sliding cover missing? Its a nice big scope, do you think it was used on a 'family' ship? Be interesting to sight something at the range of the mark on a clear road then use the car tripometer to measure the distance! Regards Gene

9th January 2009, 03:09 PM	#7
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Yup Gene, just the eyepiece slide/shutter is missing . As far as company vessels go I have no records of that . There were 7 brothers in my family during that era (mid-late 19thC); many of them I have no information on except all 7 fought in the Civil War ; maybe there is a military connection rather than Maritime .. As for the scribed line; I live on a salt marsh about a mile wide . The tele is usable to focus when set at the line; not in focus per se, but at least you can spot your object then focus finer . I can see the passengers in the cars across the marsh quite well .