George IV Cased Pancratic Eyetube Telescope on Stand by Dollond of London

For sale, a George IV mahogany cased Kitchiner pancratic eye tube telescope with stand by Dollond of London.

This rare example contains a superbly preserved mahogany barrelled three draw telescope with two sectioned stand with tripod base. The sectioned stem of the tripod may be unscrewed in order to reveal a protruding screw which may be inserted into a branch or gatepost for field observations and where a tripod may not be practical. The one and a half inch objective lens retains its original dust cap and the telescope measures nine and a half inches closed and twenty eight and a half inches when fully extended. The smallest draw is engraved to, “Dollond, London” with original dust slide retained at the eyepiece.

All the contents are neatly contained within a beautifully figured mahogany case with neatly sectioned and baized interior and quite unusually, the telescope retains its original locking tool for tightening the head of the pivoted tripod mount.

In itself this magnificent set is a fine example from the most renowned maker of optical instruments of the period but it is further exemplified by an additional “pancratic eye-tube” invented by the equally renowned optician, inventor and cook, William Kitchiner, (a fascinating man who is also considered to be the inventor of the potato chip or crisp). The eyetube which may be added in replacement to the ordinary eyetube of the main telescope extends the length of the telescope to thirty six and a half inches and has magnification stops engraved along the three smallest additional draws. The largest is further engraved with “The Pancratic Eyetube, Dollond, London”. Conceived by Kitchiner to increase magnification of the standard telescope, the manufacture of his invention seems to have been entirely gifted to The Dollond family whose optical work Kitchiner is known to have admired.

Kitchiner described his invention in detail within his 1824 publication, “The Economy of the Eyes” but the less lengthy and earlier passage taken from The Philosophical Magazine of 1820 is worthy of reproduction to provide a contemporary explanation:

“Particular respecting the Pancratic Eye-Tube invented by William Kitchiner, MD., Author of “Practical Observations on Telescopes, Spectacles etc, made only by Dollond of London.

It has long been known that the magnifying powers of telescopes could be augmented by increasing the distance between the two glasses next to the eye, and the two that are next to the object glass, to almost double the power of the eyetube in its usual form, ie from 30 to 55. This is the utmost that opticians have at any time accomplished; yet this variation is so desirable, that I think it only requires to be generally known, to be generally desired.

“A few months ago, I saw an eyetube, made by Mr Cauchoix, with a scale of magnifying powers from 25 to 73; but upon trial, I found the vision was good only between 35 and 45. My attention was strongly excited by the idea of one eyetube effecting the whole business of magnifying; and after several experiments, I combined lenses of such proportions that they admitted of being separated from each other so as to magnify at one extremity, more than double they did at the other, the vision continuing uniformly distinct to the extreme edges of the field of view.

Having now done more than was previously effected, I brought it to you. The great approbation you expressed of what I had done, so encouraged me, that I applied unceasingly, determined to perfect the object in view, which I have now accomplished.

I beg to present to you the following accurate measurement of the powers, and faithful account of the performance of THE PANCRATIC EYE-TUBE, which gives a neater and better defined image of a fixed star, and shows double stars decidedly more distinct and perfectly separated, than any other eyetube, and will en