Record

Telescope (detail)

< 1 of 1 > Back

made in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

Postcard of Telescope (detail).
000-190-001-063-C
© National Museums Scotland

Telescope (detail)

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

To search on related items, click any linked text below.

Online ID: 000-190-001-063-C
Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
Project: 0098: 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
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:
Related Records:
< 1 of 1 > Back
 
Powered by Scran