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Telescope (detail)

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made in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

Postcard of Telescope (detail).
000-190-001-064-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'.

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: 000-190-001-064-C
Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
Project: 0098: National Museums Scotland
Project description | View all records in project
Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1981.40
Date: Around 1860
c. 1860
Material: Brass. Inscription: THOS. MORTON. H.M.R.S.S.A. / KILMARNOCK
Dimensions: 757 mm L x 125 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: 26" focus Gregorian reflecting telescope in brass with speculum metal optics, 1" finder telescope and wooden tripod, signed by Thomas Morton of Kilmarnock, c. 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 190-1,193,196 
  • T.N. Clarke, A.D. Morrison-Low and A.D.C. Simpson (1989): "Brass and Glass 
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