Featured Early Victorian Three-Draw English Telescope (J. Messer. 25 West St., Gravesend)

Sue me! I bought another one!

In my defense, I sold three pieces of silver, and a pocketwatch, to atone for my sin...



It's in pretty decent condition, actually. A good wipe-down of the lenses sorted them out. And a dunking in the ultrasonic cleaner unjammed the lens-shutter.

The barrel is engraved with:

"J. MESSER"
"GRAVESEND".

Originally I couldn't figure out what the heck was written on it, until I realised that this was engraved using a LONG S, as was common back in the 1600s and 1700s. Exactly WHY this was continued on this telescope (which I judge to be mid-Victorian), is confusing to me, because I thought the use of long-S's had died out by then...

Anyhooville...it's cute! And it's mine!

...I'm so ashamed of how many telescopes I own now... DON'T LOOK AT ME!

*hides in disgrace*

 

It is beautiful, Shangas.

Oh, yes, I know that one. In my case, sell three kerises, buy five (and still upgrading the collection, honestly). And still have some money left over.

All right, how many...

Gravesend is near London.

 

HOW MANY?

Uh...at least half a dozen. Probably 8 by now?

I plan to sell at least two of them at an antiques fair at the end of the year, though.

 

There is no shame in that, you haven't been overdoing it. Besides, they are beautiful, and don't take up much space.

 

Thankfully not. I'm becoming much more uh...discerning with the ones I buy these days.

 

That is the way collecting goes, you gather more knowledge about a subject, and become more discerning.

 

Love it!

 

Lovely! There are some things of which you can never have too many.

As for the "double s" I've seen it a lot on handwritten documents from the early 1800's here in the US, so it does not surprise me at all.

 

Beautiful, Shangas!!! And I DO love the engraving!!!!

 

WOW!
Ssssssss just to be artsy.

 

I always thought the long S died out in the 1700s. I didn't realise they still used it in Victorian times.

The engraving is just so over-the-top. I love it!

 

Hi,
I have a post card mailed in 1909 that has a few of the long S in the writing. I have no idea of the age of the woman who wrote it.
greg

 

If Messer was founded when the long S was still in use, perhaps this became a logo & not just their name?

 

Here is another Messer telescope, dated 1850:
http://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/498797/a-telescope-on-stand-by-messer-of-london/
Engraving, the same Messer. It says of London, Gravesend is near London, they may have moved to London:

 

A telescope like that would be older than 1850. Those sliding lens-shutters had died out by then. They were really common on Georgian telescopes though.