Telescope

This refracting telescope was made in England in the late 17th century. It is unsigned.

The six-draw telescope is covered with vellum and has a wooden eyepiece. The exterior has been dyed in parts green and red, and stamped with book-binding tools and filled with gold leaf.

The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in 1660 ensured some political stability and allowed economic growth, particularly in luxury trades such as printing and clock-making. The leather-covered tubes are stamped with gold tooling, a contemporary book-binding decoration, characteristic of London optical instruments of the period.

Record details

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Online ID:	000-100-104-240-C
Image Rights Holder:	National Museums Scotland
Project:	0098: National Museums Scotland Project description \| View all records in project
Ref:	National Museums Scotland T.1972.77
Date:	Late 17th century
Material:
Dimensions:
What:
Subject:	22. PHYSICS, Light (Departmental Classification)
Who:	Smith
Where:	ENGLAND
Event:
Description:	Smith telescope, unsigned, English, late 17th century
References:	Macdonald, A. & Morrison-Low, A.D. (eds.) A Heavenly Library: Treasures for the Royal Observatory's Crawford Library. Edinburgh, 1994 p 47 Turner, G. L'E., 'Decorative tooling on 17th and 18th century microscopes and telescopes' in Essays on the History of the Microscope, Oxford: 1980
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