Featured Henry Hughes & Son (London) Single-Draw Naval Telescope (Ca. 1900)

Yes, I bought another one. If it's any consolation, I also sold one, to atone for my sins. Came complete with the original leather lens-cover, which I didn't photograph. Measures 18 inches from end to end when closed, and just over 2ft, when fully extended at both ends.

 

It looks to be in great condition ... Joy.

 

It's very interesting, do you think it's an item made as a present from a museum or a military group, or to commemorate something, as this firm doesn't exist since a long time to find some information, it will be interesting to know for what it's made in the 40's?
In the Greenwich museum are number of items by this maker.

 

For much of their history (and one might argue, even now) telescopes were very expensive items. If you couldn't afford to buy one yourself, then they were most commonly issued as rewards or gifts or presentation-pieces. I have seen a number of telescopes (and own one or two) which have dedications (however brief) engraved on them.

There is a story I heard about an officer from the RMS Titanic. When the survivors reached New York, a wealthy female passenger attempted to give a gigantic cash-reward to one of the junior surviving officers as a token of their gratitude for his bravery. He refused - several times, I believe - outright - to accept the money, claiming that he was only carrying out his duties as an officer in the Merchant Navy.

In the end, the lady took back the money, and she used it to buy him a beautiful naval telescope, which she had specially engraved, and she gave that to him, instead. The officer, I believe, was Harold Lowe.

 

I've read some of Master and Commander books (the first several) and have the movie with R Crowe (watched it again last Nov - just as terrific but oh so sad those boys...). I can only imagine you @Shangas imagining that you are on a tall ship when you look through it. I know I would. Is it still sea-worthy for locating new lands or final destinations? Even if not quite, it's still a lovely object.

 

VERY NICE, @Shangas!!!!!

 

@ Shangas, actually they are no more quality items in the telescopic ones due to the needs of the customers, for nature observers we use very expensive telescopes but they have quality image never imagined at the time of the telescopic.
They are only theater mono and binoculars made in a good quality by the greatest names, I don't know the date of the first "modern" telescopes for civil use but the military are since in the first world war near in the idea of the actual design and water protected.
But I think they can be made now for special events, dedicated as this one, this one you quote is certainly hand engraved and decorated, here we have a modern engraving made with a repro engine(don't find a translation).
For telescopic telescopes, more they have parts more is quality and price high, some have 5 to 6 tubes.

 

Well when I mean that they're expensive, I meant more the antique ones. Modern telescopes are quite cheap. Most of the ones I've seen almost look like toys, to be honest. Refracting telescopes (with lenses, rather than mirrors) have been around since they were invented in the...17th century, I believe.

The most I have is a 4-draw telescope, but I have heard of ones which are 6, and even 8 draw.