Telescopes / Tripods & More

Dolland / London 45" Leather Barrel Telescope w Queen Anne Folding Brass Tripod Base   What a graphic and commanding looking instrument this is!!  Telescopes are becoming increasingly difficult to find and nice examples like this are a genuine rarity.  I found one site on the internet having to do with Lewis & Clark, and it mentioned that Thomas Jefferson had a similar telescope by Dolland, and that it made the trip cross-country with that expedition.  This example recently came from an old time estate out here in the Western states and has been in the same family for as long as they could remember.  This is a fresh to the market piece and deserves a place in a top notch collection and to be prominently displayed. 

Dolland is the most widely known and well respected English maker of telescopes and spyglasses in the 18th & 19th century.  The firm was begun in the mid 1700's and the original owner John Dolland is credited with the development of the Achromatic Lens which solved problems associated with colors being off in earlier optical telescopes.  You can find a much more detailed explanation of that idea / patent and development here.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_telescopes.  

The Smithsonian has a short history of the firm and the various Dolland makers.  They have a couple of their instruments, but no telescopes like this on tripod bases.  Here is a link to that information.     http://americanhistory2.si.edu/collections/surveying/maker.cfm?makerid=10

The telescope is 45" long without the tailpiece.  The leather covering is in nice condition noting just a few nicks and dings.  The makers name, Dolland / London is marked at the end of the tube on the brass fitting.  I could find no info on a time line for dating this from that marking, but other aspects indicate it is from the first quarter of the 19th century.  Overall on the folding brass tripod base this Dolland telescope stands approx 16" tall. 

There is one eyepiece with a very dark lens and holes in the box for two more.  Those are presently missing.   The eyepiece fits the telescope as shown, without the tailpiece, but when set up with the 10" long brass tube / tailpiece there is a female / female collar or adapter that seems to be missing as the eyepiece does not thread to this secondary tube / tailpiece. 

The telescope is in a fitted mahogany dovetailed box.  It has a label from the well known American maker and dealer in surveying and scientific instruments Richard Patten of NY.   Patten first opened his shop in 1813 in NY as an  importer and  dealer in charts, maps, and imported instruments before starting to offer his own line of instruments.  He only lasted in NY until the 1830's, so I assume that this is the period that this telescope dates from, approx 1813 to 1830.  Here is the Bio and write-up on Richard Patten that can be found on the Smithsonian site.  http://americanhistory2.si.edu/collections/surveying/maker.cfm?makerid=21

 

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C-PD-TELE-1

Good..... $4850.00   

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Heliograph  These types of instruments were used for communication and for surveying long lines or over long distances.  Mirrors could be used to communicate or be sighted on 20-30 miles out in the right conditions. The piece on the left could be set in front of the mirror on the right and the user could send Morse code utilizing the shutter set up.  There were two mirrors in the event you needed to direct the light from a different angle, you could use one to catch then redirect the light.  These are unmarked as to maker, in super condition and probably English.   

Here is a link to Wikpedia where you can lean more 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliograph

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BS-HELIO

Excellent..... $395.00 / pr.    SOLD!

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Wayweiser / Waywiser   This is a early form of measuring device used by surveyors, map makers, cartographers, city planers, engineers and the like.  They are an early design and when researching them on the internet the first thing you read about is Ben Franklin having and using one.  

The idea here is that there is a clockwork type mechanism that works off the wheel rotating and records the distance.  This one has three ranges I can see.  Yards, furlongs and miles.  The counter is original, and the top lid is a well done replacement that allows the entire geared works inside to be viewed.  I do not see any makers marks on the machine itself or the handles. 

It could be French or English, and probably dates from the early 19th century.  The wheel construction and spokes look very early.  A rare and desirable piece of survey related memorabilia that will display very nicely. 

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BS-WISER

Good..... $495.00   

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Steel Legs for Starrett Transit / Level   These are always missing when you find the transits.  I sold the transit last year and found the legs months later in a different corner of the shop.  Some of the thumbscrews have been changed out, but they are pretty nice otherwise.      Click for Pic    

ML-LEGS

Good..... $45.00    SOLD!

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