My scope collection - rogues gallery

[Guest Gneiss]

Over the years I have acquired something of a collection, 14 at the last count. The majority of these I bought to review with the intention of selling on - and that is were my plan falls down

Skywatcher Skymax-150 Pro 150mm (6") f = 1800mm F/12 Maksutov Cassegrain

Note the addition of the helical focuser that gets round the annoying image shift problem these scopes seem pone to.

[Caz]

Very nice setups Gneiss... 8)

The majority of these I bought to review with the intention of selling on

Thats what they all say?...

Caz

[Caz]

That looks very impressive.... 8)

Caz

[Chubster]

:D

now your just showing off !

[bern]

No rogues in that line up as far as I can see :?

bern

[Brass n glass]

" it carries the circle K mark "

I believe Circle K was used by Koyu Corporation in the 1960s when it was mainly a distributor with a small manufacturing facility. When it expanded into a manufacturer of a big range of OTAs, mounts and binoculars it changed its name to Vixen

[FLO]

Thats quite a collection you have there Gneiss 8)

[OXO]

:shock:

[Brass n glass]

That's a magnificent line-up. Going back to Circle K, I remember one being on show at Rekab Instruments in Holborn. I had just left school and had joined the BAA where I was assured that all Japanese optics were rubbish. The early Japanese scopes that came to the UK all looked the same with a white finish and often no name at all. the Circle K ones had that and nothing else. I think it was the Rekab man who told me that the K stood for Koyu. (Rekab is Baker spelled backwards because the shop at the corner of Kingsway had originally been the home of the microscope company Charles Baker). That's probably enough ancient history for one night.

[GazOC]

:shock:

I used to own a Meade 80mm f15. One hell of a planetary/lunar scope but one pain in the neck to look through!

Nice gear Gneiss. Welcome to SGL.

[Brass n glass]

As soon as I get a camera. I bought one recently, but it was faulty. Sent it back for replacement, but they said it was discontinued.

I believe the telescope was probably the last 3.5 inch one they made. Ernie Elliot, who ran the workshop, told me it was the last one of the regular line with a brass tube. The rest were going to have alloy tubes with brass ends. I've just dug out a 1971 BC catalogue; I believe the last one they issued before Dudley Fuller took over. A 6 inch equatorial refractor was listed at £550, about the same as the cheapest Synta version today - and it didn't have to travel from China.

[OXO]

Broadhurst Clarkson Telescopes are very nice i had the pleasure of using one at a Public School in Blackpool a few years back observing Saturn, beautyfuly made.

Look forward to the Pic when you get your Camera.

James

[OXO]

That little Mak is Cute! Reminds me a bit of the Celestron Maks they had with the laminated star charts on the Tubes 8)

James

[Brass n glass]

It looks like the Little Mak I had until my som lost it. It suffered a lot from the large central obstruction of - and took about 20 mins to cool down. It was the smallest of a Russian range that all had star maps on the tubes. More of a curiosity than a usable instrument, but, true to its design, no false colours on anything.