Large Antique T. Harris & Son ‘Day or Night’ Single-draw Brass/Wooden Telescope

Large Antique T. Harris & Son ‘Day or Night’ Single-draw Brass/Wooden Telescope

£175

Unusual large single-draw brass/wooden telescope in working order and of quite some scale - manufactured by Thomas Harris & Son, London and branded "Day or Night" with modification and minor damage.

Dimensions

36 inches fully extended

Circa

1840

Maker

T. Harris & Son

Country of manufacture

UK and Ireland

Categories: Maritime, Other Maritime Antiques

Description

Offered for sale is an antique brass & wooden telescope by Thomas Harris & Son of London.  It’s called the “Day or Night” and may be an Admiralty pattern telescope, or in any event one designed for marine applications.  It’s quite a sizable single-draw instrument – see measurements below.  With both its size and the warm tactile nature of its wooden barrel, the instrument has a really nice look and feel and is also nicely weighted and perfectly usable.  The image quality while acceptable, isn’t as good as it would have been when new, but this piece will have seen much service through the years in a variety of settings.  It also looks like it’s had a repair at the objective end, with iron fitments replacing what would have been original brass elements – we can only speculate as to the reason for this work and restoration.  I’m not sure of the date of manufacture, but my estimate would be mid 1800s, say 1840 to 1860 or thereabouts.
 
Condition:
– optics present and working with some cloudiness, in need of internal deep clean but usable as is
– general external patina commensurate with age
– brasswork tarnished/oxidised in keeping with age
– slight dent to brass eyepiece surround doesn’t impair function
– oxidation to iron fitment (which may be a later replacement) around objective lens
– brass screw threads in working condition and they loosen/tighten as they should
– draw-tube moves freely allowing focus to be achieved
 
Length collapsed = 21 inches
Length fully extended = 36 inches
Objective lens diameter = 1.5 inches
Magnification = about 7x, so similar to my Barr & Stroud naval binoculars
 
Background to T. Harris & Son:
T Harris & Son were known as opticians and makers of globes, mathematical instruments, and telescopes. Thomas Harris founded his optical business in the latter part of the 18th century. He brought his son, William, into the business in 1806. By 1817, they were marketing themselves as ‘opticians to the Royal Family’, the firm T Harris & Son were trading from Great Russell Street. London, (opposite the British Museum) and 1846 saw a move to High Holborn.

Owing to the weight and delicacy of this antique single-draw telescope, it will be very carefully wrapped for shipping and dispatched by insured courier upon receipt of cleared funds.

 

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GB Arcboutant Scientific

Howard Nutton based in Glasgow Scotland with a background in Natural Science along with previous career in risk management. I obtained my first antique microscope in 1988 - it was a Watson Edinburgh model H serial number 23604 - dating it to 1918. Since that time I've owned and restored hundreds of similar instruments. As Arcboutant Scientific now also making available personally curated fine examples, principally of antique microscopes and associated scientific equipment by quality English and Continental makers, to collectors world-wide.

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