£2,000 - £3,000
AN HISTORICALLY INTERESTING 1IN. SINGLE DRAW DECAGONAL REVERSE TAPER MARINE TELESCOPE BY J. GILBERT, LONDON, CIRCA 1760 WITH H.M.S. VICTORY ASSOCIATION
the tube with owner's name carved by the draw tube FRANCIS MATTHEWS GUNWHARF, signed J. GILBERT / Tower Hill / LONDON by the tapering eyepiece, sailorwork twine binding loops (lacking dust slides), contained in original ebonised pine box counter carved on hinged lid F. MATTHEWS VICTORY -- 53¼in. (135cm.) long (closed)
An F. Matthews is recorded as being located at Gun Wharf in 1801 working as a "Clerk of Cheque and Barrack-Master; John Gilbert worked from Tower Hill, London from 1751-91 having been apprenticed to his father, also John Gilbert in 1737. He had several important apprentices of his own, not the least of whom was Peter Dollond who went on to become famous for optics and the development of the achromatic lens.
Optics working but need clean; minor typical splits to tube, box with old wear overall
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