Telescope (detail)

Add to album

This is a detail of a refracting telescope made between 1761 and 1766, probably by Peter Dollond (1731-1820), a scientific instrument maker based in London.

The single draw is marked 'P. DOLLOND/ Strand/ LONDON'.

In 1758, Dollond's father, John, a Spitalfields weaver, patented his achromatic doublet lens. In 1765, a further improvement was made by Dollond himself using a double-concave flint glass cemented to two double convex lenses of crown glass. However, the patent was disputed by other London optical instrument makers, although not very successfully.

Record details

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

• Online ID: 000-190-002-254-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1967.137
• Date: 1761 - 1766
  Between 1761 and 1766
  
• Material: Mahogany tube, brass bound ends, brass draw. Inscription: P DOLLOND / Strand / LONDON
  Telescope, single draw
  
• Dimensions: 37.06" L; 1.38" aperture
  
• What: Telescope, single draw
  
• Subject: 3. ASTRONOMY, Refracting telescopes (Departmental Classification)
  22. PHYSICS, Light (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: P. Dollond, Strand, London (Maker)
  
• Where: England, London
  
• Event:
• Description: Single draw telescope made between 1761 and 1766 and signed by P. Dollond of London
  
• References:
  • For Peter Dollond, see Clifton, Gloria, Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851. London: 1995, p 87 
  • For the invention of the achromatic telescope, see King, Henry C., The History of the Telescope. New York: 1955, chapter 8, pp 144-75 
• Translations:
• Related Records: