Library Telescope On A Brass Table Tripod – England, 19th Century

Library Telescope on a Brass Table Tripod – England, 19th Century

Period: 19th century (circa 1820–1860)

Origin: England

Material: Solid lathe-turned and cast brass, original period optical lenses

Dimensions:

• Height: 46.5 cm
• Base (footprint): 28 x 28 cm
• Closed tube length: 52 cm
• Open tube length (maximum extension): 77 cm

Description of the Object

Refined and elegant library/tabletop telescope (tabletop telescope) in gilded brass, attributable to the prestigious 19th-century British scientific production.

The instrument consists of a main telescopic optical tube, equipped at the front of the objective lens with an integrated sliding lens hood to protect the lens. Focusing is achieved by manually sliding the internal focus tube.

The optical tube is supported by a finely turned central baluster column, connected to the base via a hinged joint that allows for manual adjustment of the elevation angle. The column rests on a folding tripod with arched legs (so-called “swan-neck” style), typical of English craftsmanship in the late Georgian and early Victorian periods.

Condition

The instrument is in excellent overall condition. It retains its original, attractive, and uniform brass patina, with very slight and natural signs of aging consistent with its age and use. The tube-extension mechanism and the base hinge are in perfect working order. The optical system is complete with all its lenses.

Historical Notes for Collectors

Throughout the 19th century, London was the global hub for the manufacture of high-precision optical and astronomical instruments. Table telescopes of this type were not merely functional scientific instruments for terrestrial and astronomical observation, but true objects of great prestige placed in the libraries, law offices, and salons of the noble estates and upper-middle-class homes of the era.