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I used to know Eric Whitcombe up until 20 years ago. He started Amateur Astronomers Supply Co in the early '60's. Up until then the only telescope shop was Esdale's and there certainly weren't any big reflectors for sale. They ended up manufacturing instruments up to the mighty 12.5" cassegrain, using Japanese accessories and mounts where possible and even manufacturing their own equatorial mounts for many years.
Eric's book helped a lot of people to make their own mirror in the days when it was a popular thing to do. I don't think the 1 tonne pipe equatorial mount did much for the hobby but in those days an altazimuth mount was something you got on your Japanese 60mm refractor , and it just wasn't a serious telescope if it didn't have an equatorial mount LOL.
Very enterprising man...bought up a lot of real estate in Crows Nest which was going cheap in the '60 's on the proceeds of many Japanese telescopes bought and sold when you payed 300 yen to the $. By the time he sold out Amateur Astronomers Supply Co in 1979 ( rebadged for sale as Astro Optical Supplies ) he was a wealthy man. Last I spoke to him in 1988 he had a number of homes around the world and was about to head of on a private Antarctic mission. He would have to be well into his '80 's now. I hope he is still going strong.
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