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Any info on large old? brass & leather(?) telescope
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<p>[QUOTE="Shangas, post: 4479362, member: 360"]Telescopes were extremely expensive in the 1700s, 1800s, and fake telescopes certainly existed back then (I know, because I have one in my collection. I bought it specifically because it was a fake, to prove to people that just because it's old doesn't mean it's real, but I'm deviating from the point here...) </p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway... </p><p><br /></p><p>Age? I'd say early 1800s, late 1700s. The way the eyepiece is put together suggests that sort of timeframe. Also, the sliding "guillotine" lens-shutter (missing) is a common feature on late 1700s and early 1800s telescopes, as is the "bell" shaped eyepiece. </p><p><br /></p><p>Because telescopes were so expensive, they had to be easy to look after - so yes, they were designed to be pulled apart. Unscrewed, so that you could clean the lenses and blow out dust, etc. </p><p><br /></p><p>A telescope has a BARREL (the main body) and then it has DRAW TUBES. The draw-tubes are the brass pipes that slide out. One tube = one draw. </p><p><br /></p><p>Really early telescopes like this usually only had one or two draw-tubes. Later Victorian ones usually had 3-4. I've got a couple which are five or even seven or eight. </p><p><br /></p><p>Where was it made? That I couldn't tell you. But I can tell you with pretty high certainty that this is at least 200-ish years old. It's Georgian. A Victorian telescope looks very different. </p><p><br /></p><p>As for materials, I can assure you - yes they would make a telescope out of wood. It's cheaper than brass, after all, and telescopes with wooden barrels were extremely common.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Shangas, post: 4479362, member: 360"]Telescopes were extremely expensive in the 1700s, 1800s, and fake telescopes certainly existed back then (I know, because I have one in my collection. I bought it specifically because it was a fake, to prove to people that just because it's old doesn't mean it's real, but I'm deviating from the point here...) Anyway... Age? I'd say early 1800s, late 1700s. The way the eyepiece is put together suggests that sort of timeframe. Also, the sliding "guillotine" lens-shutter (missing) is a common feature on late 1700s and early 1800s telescopes, as is the "bell" shaped eyepiece. Because telescopes were so expensive, they had to be easy to look after - so yes, they were designed to be pulled apart. Unscrewed, so that you could clean the lenses and blow out dust, etc. A telescope has a BARREL (the main body) and then it has DRAW TUBES. The draw-tubes are the brass pipes that slide out. One tube = one draw. Really early telescopes like this usually only had one or two draw-tubes. Later Victorian ones usually had 3-4. I've got a couple which are five or even seven or eight. Where was it made? That I couldn't tell you. But I can tell you with pretty high certainty that this is at least 200-ish years old. It's Georgian. A Victorian telescope looks very different. As for materials, I can assure you - yes they would make a telescope out of wood. It's cheaper than brass, after all, and telescopes with wooden barrels were extremely common.[/QUOTE]
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Any info on large old? brass & leather(?) telescope
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