Help - Identify an old telescope

Hi All,

My step dad was a world war 2 veteran, since his depature in life I have had in my possesion for some time now an old telescope.
Since I am now a amature astromomy I would be quite interested to know more about it, when it was made, its value etc..

I know there are a couple of members here that speaclize in antique telescopes so I am hoping to fish these guys out for some info

The markings on the OTA read the below:
( ? means i cant make it out)

Depression Range Finder MA?? ?????
Telescope Mark 1
Ottways Patent No 2693/1913
T 20
No 466
A Symbold D with a upward arrow?

The scope still works, fairly decent views of the moon and saturn I have had with it so far.

Well, appricate any assistance you may have to offer

Hmm pictures didnt load, well let me try again.

[omnivorr]

the D-arrow is Dept Defence.. clearly a military piece.. might be an artillery device (?) ..what arm of the Forces was he in? ..might give a clue....

Originally Posted by Lyinxz

Hi All,

My step dad was a world war 2 veteran, since his depature in life I have had in my possesion for some time now an old telescope.
Since I am now a amature astromomy I would be quite interested to know more about it, when it was made, its value etc..

I know there are a couple of members here that speaclize in antique telescopes so I am hoping to fish these guys out for some info

The markings on the OTA read the below:
( ? means i cant make it out)

Depression Range Finder MA?? ?????
Telescope Mark 1
Ottways Patent No 2693/1913
T 20
No 466
A Symbold D with a upward arrow?

The scope still works, fairly decent views of the moon and saturn I have had with it so far.

Well, appricate any assistance you may have to offer

Im not sure what arm he would be classified as, he didn't talk much about his involvement in the war.

Primarily from what I gather from mum was he worked in building or assembling army equipment such as the rifles/hand guns etc.

Pretty cool - Department of Defense
I might start looking after it now, needs a good clean as well.

Any other information you derive?

Thanks for your time.

Hmm found this on google, looks interesting!

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=...um=5&ct=result

[BerrieK]

Ash you could have a look here http://www.scientificcollectables.com/index.html

W. Ottway & Co was established in 1640 at Orion Works, Ealing in London. They became well established opticians and by the late 1800s were manufacturing a wide range of different scientific instruments. According to Ottway's catalogue in 1899 they were manufacturers of; "Naval and Military Gunsighting, Telescopes, Theodolites, Tacheometers, Levels, Miners' Dials, Prismatic Compasses, Heliographs, Equatorials, Driving Clocks, Filar Micrometers, Coelostats, Transits, Mirrors, Flats, Naval, Military and Astronomical Telescopes, Prismatic Binoculars, Sextants, Auto Collimators, Star Image Collimators, Focometers, Clinometers, Clinometer Testing Instruments, Spectrometers, Spectroscopes, Ships' Electric Logs, Workshop Microscopes and Optical Measuring Tools, Brass Copper and Nickel Silver Mandrel Drawn Tubes."


What a great item to have from your step dad.

Kerrie

Thanks for the info Kerrie,

Very interesting indeed, and w0w 1640 now that is a old manufacture!

[TJD (Trevor)]

PDF]
US Patent 2386276

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
4, is a range finder 30 of any type, well known in the art and between this range finder .... 25 m a path in said plane parallel to said film plate ...
patentpdf.net/US2386276.pdf - Similar

[TJD (Trevor)]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._466_Squadron_RAAF
was he a wwII bomber do you see his name there either way its a very amazing story what happened to them any way

[TJD (Trevor)]

just saw some artilary piece that had a scoipe like that one in it

[Roger Davis]

Hi,
Sorrie Kerrie, but you were out by 200 years! The telescope is after all only 400 years old back to Galileo!
John Ottway started his company in 1840
The first address being 10 King St, Holborn, where they were for 2 years.
Second address 11 Devonshir(e) St. Queens Square from 1842-1847
Third address 21 Packenham St. Gray's Inn Rd. from 1853-1858
Fourth address 83 St John Street Rd. from 1859-1867
Lastly 178 St. John Street Rd. from 1868-1870
His son then joined the firm and they became John Ottway & Son and remained at the last address from 1871 - 1900+
The scope you have is early WWII and was used for sighting in light artillery. I couldn't tell you what kind of canon it would have been on, but I have a similar one on loan for a bit of work at the moment from a mate of mine.
Hope this helps!

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

Its similar to the one we used on 25 pounders when I was a T.A. gun layer back in the late 60's. Used for "open site", e.g. Antitank.

Bill