Recognise a telescope

[Shelley withers]

Hi ,I'm Shelley 

I'm new gre  I'm trying to find a telescope I was left ,

It's a H. N .Irving here's the picture  if Anyone  can Help me identify thus telescope   I'd be  very grateful. 

[Gfamily]

There seems to be a significant collection of material related to HN Irving at the Science Museum in London.

 

https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap20625/h-n-irving-son

[Shelley withers]

MAny thanks  , I will follow the link 

[Shelley withers]

Hi still not found  a picture of the telescope  

Help needed  please   !!

[DaveL59]

going to be difficult to help much I'd think unless you can maybe give a little more info. What diameter is the front lens and length of the body etc might help but that'll depend on how much info has been collated and placed on public record that we can search. Also when looking through it is the image right way up? 

I see there's a 3-inch 1975 telescope on pcclick but it looks significantly more recent that your one which has the old single pivot bracket to mount it. Does yours stand on that base or is there a screw thread in the base to attach it to something else?

Quite likely/possible it was a spotting type scope or for ships use rather than for astro given the size but that's just a guess.

Edited July 3, 2022 by DaveL59

[Shelley withers]

It's looks like it should sit on something 

[DaveL59]

it may have once had a wooden tripod like this

or been screwed down onto a fixed part of a railing or similar.

A nice vintage piece if you can determine a bit about it but not so easy if they didn't have any records about it to pass on with it. Not finding any similar pics of yours but seems they were a well regarded maker and were quality items too.

 

Myself I picked up this old black leather and brass vintage scope back in 2020 that the seller said was his dad's and tbh looks maybe home made but it works pretty well and is a nice curio too.

 

[Gfamily]

No real further information, but a couple of blog entries (not mine - just one I found) that might be of interest. 

(Obituary of Ronald Irving)  http://www.brayebrookobservatory.org/BrayObsWebSite/HOMEPAGE/RNIrving_obit.html  

An article about another manufacturer who may have used Irving parts http://www.brayebrookobservatory.org/BrayObsWebSite/HOMEPAGE/forum/So Called Telescope Makers.html

Edited July 3, 2022 by Gfamily

[Shelley withers]

Thank you thank you, 

[Shelley withers]

Now could you roughly  value it please  Guys ,you All been very helpful, thank you 

[DaveL59]

16 minutes ago, Shelley withers said:

Now could you roughly  value it please  Guys ,you All been very helpful, thank you 

ahh now that's the almost impossible question to answer really. It's likely pre-70's and does have the makers plate but is incomplete in that there's no  original tripod or details of its original mounting (ship etc). It does look very well made and of good quality and reading his obituary that's not surprising at all. Is there any sign of haze or fungus in the glass (fuzzy look when shining a light through it) etc., which could affect its value in terms of optical usefulness. 

Thing is as with most items it's worth what someone will pay, but if it had historical value and provenance documented that'd set a guide for insurance or auction. It could be worth as little as £50 to over £100 or more depending on those and rarity. Sorry that's not a lot of help, likely its worth more because of the family connection that left it to you than its monetary value.

[Xilman]

On 03/07/2022 at 17:07, Shelley withers said:

Hi ,I'm Shelley 

I'm new gre  I'm trying to find a telescope I was left ,

It's a H. N .Irving here's the picture  if Anyone  can Help me identify thus telescope   I'd be  very grateful.

 

Is there anything on it which might suggest a date?

I'm starting to renovate an Ottway refractor made in 1912 and would like to find out some more about it, but that's a matter for another thread

 

[Shelley withers]

Hi nothing just what you see on photo  the little place just name etc no date 

[Shelley withers]

Many thanks fir the information, the telescope was left ti me and I can't see me parting with it as I've had it 13 yes and I've carried around with me to various homes and I've just settled and this us first time I've tried to find out about it .Many thanks, and all the information has been very helpful 👍 

[DaveL59]

Hope you do manage to find out a bit more about it, does look like a quality piece and if the glass is in good shape you may even find it useful to spy on the birdies in the garden once cleaned up 🙂 

It might be worth contacting the science museum tho as their web page says they have 10 meters of shelf holding catalogues etc so you may be able to get a search and copies, not sure if they let you go browse for yourself.

Archival material relating to the firm of H.N. Irving & Son, instrument makers | Science Museum Group Collection

Edited July 4, 2022 by DaveL59

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @Shelley withers and welcome to SGL. 

That looks nice.

Not related to the topic, but I have a sighting telescope [c.1916] and an 'unknown' brass RAS threaded eyepiece, [images below].

<--- the 1.25" adapter for the brass eyepiece [centre] and the eyepiece projection unit [shown on right] was made for me by Beacon Hill Telescopes.

Edited July 7, 2022 by Philip R