R N Irving

[tuckstar]

Hi fellow classic equipment enthusiasts,

Time to pick your brains. I have in my possession, but not mine, a 6" mirror inscribed as H N Irving and son, Nov 1954, must be R N Irving as H N died in 1941.  It is an f8.3 mirror with secondary which is also inscribed as Irving but no date. Secondary has no silver and primary needs a recoat.

So any of you guys know anything about the mirror set?

I have found R N Irvings obituary which talks about the high quality optics he and his father produced, and I see the science museum has a collection of Irving items so I have contacted them and, at the owners request, they may end up there.  If not they may well be on the market. I'm tempted to put a scope together with them, I think it would be a planet killer. Also has a spider and eyepieces.

Please note, not my photos, no way I would put a mirror face down on the table like that even if it does want a re-coat

Edited November 17, 2023 by tuckstar

[Clive Elliott]

Hi

irving and sons made telescopes but didn’t manufacture their own optics ?
I think your mirror says Irving. But if you look underneath that inscription you see HW

The mark of Henry wildly who made mirrors for Irving’s and fullerscopes in the 1950’s 1960’s and 1970’s

 

 

 

 

[tuckstar]

Now that why I came here, so much knowledge. A new track to go down.

Thank you very much @Clive Elliott

 

[Clive Elliott]

Hi made a slight typo with the name it’s Henry wildey 

regards

clive

[Peter Drew]

On 30/11/2023 at 00:28, Clive Elliott said:

Hi

irving and sons made telescopes but didn’t manufacture their own optics ?
I think your mirror says Irving. But if you look underneath that inscription you see HW

The mark of Henry wildly who made mirrors for Irving’s and fullerscopes in the 1950’s 1960’s and 1970’s

 

 

 

 

This is correct, and latterly Fullerscopes used David Hinds "A" mirrors tor their top of the range telescopes.    🙂

[NGC 1502]

I can vouch for Henry Wildey mirrors. About 5 years ago I purchased an unusual specification mirror from a retired staff member at Telescope House (BC&F).   The engraving on the back said it was made in 1954 by Henry Wildey.

But the engraving included the unusual specification of this 6” mirror as 22.5” focal length. That’s a focal ratio of F3.75…….I’m guessing this must have been a special order.  Back then most people wanted a 6” F8.

Before proceeding with a recoat and building an optical tube I had the mirror tested by a club colleague who has an optical workshop.  Superb optical figure was confirmed, Henry must have been very skilled at his job.

The result is an exceptionally compact RFT….Rich Field Telescope😊

[Franklin]

Back in 1979 when I was just a kid with an interest in astronomy there were only a few suppliers of astronomical equipment around. I remember Fullerscopes, Beacon Hill, David Hinds, Astro-Systems and Henry Wildey and in those pre-internet days you had to write a letter, enclosing an SAE (remember those?) to get a catalogue/pricelist. Henry Wildey sent a typed reply to my enquiry listing the range of mirrors he had available (6" f8 and 8" f6 ?).