Came across this little gem on a recent trip to Melbourne.
A falling weight appears to drive clock work type mechanism. The owner believes this mount may have came out of Melbourne Observatory but has no knowledge of its history. Comes with its matching 4" refractor that was buried under a pile of antiques so, I couldn't get a good look at it.
Wish I had more time to study it.
Great pics Deeno - I only hope that the owner has some AA interest and appreciates its worth and provenance: or at least it ends up in the hands of someone who does!
Reminds me of the one shown on CN that came with a Cooke & Sons 4" or 5" achromatic triplet objective - being me I'd have loved to have seen images of the refractor: these Victorian era scopes and mounts were works of real art/craftmanship to behold: a combination of casting, machining and hand-crafting excellence. Wonder about its performance....?
I should be made part of the national estate to be refurbished and preserved before someone scraps it or some cashed up foreign antique telescope collector spots it and buys it on the cheap.
I should be made part of the national estate to be refurbished and preserved before someone scraps it or some cashed up foreign antique telescope collector spots it and buys it on the cheap.
Absolutely agree with you Ian: I was going to barf on in my usual declaritive ways, or even disctreetly inquire as to who has it; but these are a part of the national estate and should be valued and treated as such. I could just fantasize on a visit to Melbourne and seeing this somewhere, open to the public, resplendant in all its (restored) former glory!
Great pics Deeno - I only hope that the owner has some AA interest and appreciates its worth and provenance: or at least it ends up in the hands of someone who does!
Reminds me of the one shown on CN that came with a Cooke & Sons 4" or 5" achromatic triplet objective - being me I'd have loved to have seen images of the refractor: these Victorian era scopes and mounts were works of real art/craftmanship to behold: a combination of casting, machining and hand-crafting excellence. Wonder about its performance....?
Regards, Darryl.
Hi Darryl
Perhaps you would liked to have a look at this book I have.
Gee John G (you'll have to forgive me John, I'm a pun-addict) - that book sure looks something, as I screw my eyes up to read those pages you've shown: any chance of photocopying the entire book (presuming there are only a couple of dozen pages that is) and posting them on the forum? Please....?!?
It's the only way poor old sad and desperate afficianados such as myself can get to see some of these old publications - I'd love to peruse the text and illustrations!
Mate, I would love to be able to help you out there but unfortunately the book is some 75 pages long and some of the illistrations are triple page, as you can see, it rather well worn and is over 100 years old and it is one of my favourites .
Being keen on refractors myself, it sits in an area that has pride of place.
If you are ever near Cootamundra, your more than welcome to call in and have a drool, sorry, meant look at it.
Great pics Deeno - I only hope that the owner has some AA interest and appreciates its worth and provenance: or at least it ends up in the hands of someone who does!
Yes, agreed.
I did express my own concerns over the possible historical importance. It would be interesting to find out where its original home was. He had said he had pulled it out of a three story home of a deceased estate and had intended to build an observatory for it.
Reminds me of the one shown on CN that came with a Cooke & Sons 4" or 5" achromatic triplet objective - being me I'd have loved to have seen images of the refractor: these Victorian era scopes and mounts were works of real art/craftmanship to behold: a combination of casting, machining and hand-crafting excellence. Wonder about its performance....?
Regards, Darryl.
He also has a portable mount for the Grubb 4" refractor and claims he has some very sharp views through it
Oh well John, if you won't, you won't: but now I wished you never shown that snippet.....how godawful cruel some people can be....!
Regards, Darryl. (you'll note they're not "kind" regards anymore John!)
If you like, send me a PM with your email address and I will photograph some of it for you, I don't have a scanner, may take a little while, finishing off the new Observatory at the moment.
It is a shame to see such a wonderful old mount like this just sitting there, I really hope it gets the TLC it is entitled too.
I remember seeing an old Cook & Sons mount with weight driven drive and 6" scope at an Observatory near Hurstville a lot of years ago, I wonder where that is now........
Gee John G (you'll have to forgive me John, I'm a pun-addict) - that book sure looks something, as I screw my eyes up to read those pages you've shown: any chance of photocopying the entire book (presuming there are only a couple of dozen pages that is) and posting them on the forum? Please....?!?
It's the only way poor old sad and desperate afficianados such as myself can get to see some of these old publications - I'd love to peruse the text and illustrations!
Kind regards, Darryl.
That sounds like a very good way of preserving the books for posterity. I hope the book has been valued and is insured , I would think it is exceedingly rare and should really be held by and concerved by one the local university libraries (in their old and rare books collections - in conditions of optimum temperature and humidity and away from insects.
No doubt about , those Victorian era telescope makers knew how to make telescopes and GEMs.
John, you're on! I'll pm you with my email address and wait patiently besides my pc, however long I have to. (well, there is a bit of poetic license there, but I'll be waiting....!)
Deeno, great to hear that the old refractor is actually operational: whilst I'm on the lam touching people up with requests; is there any chance that you could contact this fella and ask for some piccies etc to have posted on IIS? I'm sure there'd be plenty of interested members!
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