made in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Add to albumThis 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
To search on related items, click any underlined text below.
- Online ID: 000-190-001-064-C
- Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
- Project:
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
Telescope, reflecting
- 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
- Translations:
- Related Records: