Historic military Telescopes: Early 19thC Dollond

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 .

Atlantia · 9th January 2009, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

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 .

LOL, these are impressively powerful! I live in a big valley and can see the detail on wind chimes hanging on the verandas of the houses on the opposite side, which are about half a mile as the crow flies.

well, we know it can't have been made after 1870, so it could well have a civil war connection as it was almost certainly around at that time. And of course it was a very useful and expensive piece of equipment that would have been highly prized and desired by any officer!

Its amazing to think how even with my small scope, the user would have been able to see the expressions on the faces of the 'enemy' long before they came into effective range of the guns.

I see a lot where the sliding eyepiece cover has been removed. Which strikes me as strange as they are captive inside the body so shouldn't fall off?
I wonder if they were deliberately removed to make useage faster?

Regards
Gene

Rick · 9th January 2009, 05:58 PM

Hi Gene,
Yes definitely; something that would be kept through more than one generation .
It could have seen service in more than one capacity .

I wonder how many scratched noses were inflicted by those shutters when the instrument was hastily put to eye .

Possibly for frequent use they were a nuisance .

edit:
Well, I just finished the cleaning and reassembly; tried it out and it's incredible .
Seriously, the depth of field is just incredible !
I understand the scribed line now; the actual focus range is an inch or so of slide on the draw .

I'll have to try stargazing on a clear night .

BTW, Is there an echo in here ??

Atlantia · 10th January 2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Hi Gene,
Yes definitely; something that would be kept through more than one generation .
It could have seen service in more than one capacity .

I wonder how many scratched noses were inflicted by those shutters when the instrument was hastily put to eye .

Possibly for frequent use they were a nuisance .

edit:
Well, I just finished the cleaning and reassembly; tried it out and it's incredible .
Seriously, the depth of field is just incredible !
I understand the scribed line now; the actual focus range is an inch or so of slide on the draw .

I'll have to try stargazing on a clear night .

BTW, Is there an echo in here ??

LOL, thats brilliant!
It still works after all these years.
Hope it deserves a promotion into the weapons collection now?

9th January 2009, 05:58 PM	#6
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Hi Gene, Yes definitely; something that would be kept through more than one generation . It could have seen service in more than one capacity . I wonder how many scratched noses were inflicted by those shutters when the instrument was hastily put to eye . Possibly for frequent use they were a nuisance . edit: Well, I just finished the cleaning and reassembly; tried it out and it's incredible . Seriously, the depth of field is just incredible ! I understand the scribed line now; the actual focus range is an inch or so of slide on the draw . I'll have to try stargazing on a clear night . BTW, Is there an echo in here ?? Last edited by Rick; 9th January 2009 at 06:48 PM.

8th January 2009, 09:49 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	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	#3
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	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	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 .