Telescope (detail)

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This is a detail of a telescope made around 1860 by Thomas Morton, a carpet machinery maker and scientific instrument maker based in Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire.

The detail shows the maker's signature stamped on the reflecting telescope's mirror retention plate. It reads ' 'THOS. MORTON. H.M.R.S.S.A. [Honorary Member of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts] / KILMARNOCK'. The '1860' is hidden by the tube.

Thomas Morton's main occupation was as a carpet machinery manufacturer. This allowed him access to materials and tools with which to construct his telescopes.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-001-063-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1981.39
• Date: 1860
  Around 1860
  
• Material: Brass. Inscription: THOS. MORTON. H.M.R.S.S.A. [Honorary Member of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts] / 1860
  Telescope, reflecting
  
• Dimensions: 505 mm L x 103 mm D
  
• What: Telescope, reflecting
  
• Subject: 22. PHYSICS, Light (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: Arthur Frank Collection of Scottish Scientific Instruments
  Thomas Morton, Kilmarnock (Maker)
  
• Where: Scotland, Ayrshire, Kilmarnock
  
• Event:
• Description: 14" focus Gregorian reflecting telescope in brass with speculum metal optics, 1" finder telescope, and on a sector shaped wooden turntable base, signed by Thomas Morton of Kilmarnock, 1860
  
• References:
  • Clarke, T.N., Morrison-Low, A.D. & Simpson, A.D.C. Brass & glass scientific instrument making workshops in Scotland as illustrated by instruments from the Arthur Frank Collection at the Royal Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh: NMS, 1989. pp 190-1,193,195 
  • T.N. Clarke, A.D. Morrison-Low and A.D.C. Simpson (1989): "Brass and Glass 
• Translations:
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