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Naval telescope
This telescope was made and engraved as a presentation piece for Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (1844-1900), the second son of Queen Victoria. It is silver with a tapered barrel covered in leather. It also has a removable silver lens cap and an extendable sun shade for the objective lens. The eyepiece has a pivoted cover and is of varying power, with marks on the eyepiece tube indicating magnifications of 20, 25 and 30 times.
The Duke's crest has been added to the barrel and an inscription on the draw tube records the date and place of presentation: 'H.R.H. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH H.M.S SULTAN August 6th 1876'. The name 'G. Lee & Son, 8 Ordnance Row Portsea & 1 Paternoster Rd. Southsea is' also engraved on the draw tube, while a label pasted inside the lens cap reads 'ELLIOTT BROTHERS MANUFACTORY 101 & 102 ST. MARTIN'S LANE'. It is likely, therefore, that the telescope was originally made by Elliott Brothers and then engraved and sold by G. Lee & Son.
Queen Mary presented the telescope to the Museum in 1936.
The Duke's crest has been added to the barrel and an inscription on the draw tube records the date and place of presentation: 'H.R.H. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH H.M.S SULTAN August 6th 1876'. The name 'G. Lee & Son, 8 Ordnance Row Portsea & 1 Paternoster Rd. Southsea is' also engraved on the draw tube, while a label pasted inside the lens cap reads 'ELLIOTT BROTHERS MANUFACTORY 101 & 102 ST. MARTIN'S LANE'. It is likely, therefore, that the telescope was originally made by Elliott Brothers and then engraved and sold by G. Lee & Son.
Queen Mary presented the telescope to the Museum in 1936.
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Object Details
| ID: | NAV1505 |
|---|---|
| Collection: | Astronomical and navigational instruments |
| Type: | Naval telescope |
| Display location: | Not on display |
| Creator: | George Lee & Son; Elliott Bros |
| Vessels: | Sultan (1870) |
| Date made: | circa 1854 |
| Credit: | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London |
| Measurements: | Length: 641 mm (closed), 835 mm (open at 30x magnification); Diameter: 58.2 (barrel, max) |
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