Brass Telescopes made to order

We have been making brass telescopes for astronomers since 1981. The photograph below shows the type of instrument that we make. This particular instrument is a refracting telescope with a front lens that is 120mm (4 3/4") in diameter. The telescope is 1600mm (63") long and it looks absolutely stunning.

120mm brass refractor

The brass telescopes that we make are not available as ex-stock items. Each telescope is individually made to our customer's order. There is no CNC lathe and no production line - every instrument is hand crafted from beginning to end.

As you can see from the picture above, and the other photographs in the Photo Gallery, our telescopes are designed to have the traditional look of those brass telescopes that were made and used a hundred years or so ago. Universities and astronomical societies are still using some of those brass telescopes, superbly made by British instrument-makers such as Cooke and Dollond and Watson.

So we have set ourselves the challenge of continuing, in this century, that fine tradition of telescope building.

The technical specification of our brass, 120mm refracting telescopes

The lens cell is machined from thick-walled brass, to provide a secure housing for the air-spaced objective lens. The cell is fitted with a flange that mates with the corresponding flange on the main tube of the telescope and they are held together by three, equi-spaced brass bolts. The lens cell flange is also provided with three, equi-spaced push bolts, so that the objective lens can be collimated with the telescope. With lenses of this diameter collimation should never be needed, but the detachable lens cell enables the lens to be transported separately from the rest of the telescope. The lens cell is threaded at its outer end and is provided with a screw-on, polished brass dust cap.

The body of each of our telescopes is constructed of brass that we bring to a mirror finish. The focus knob, which is set on the side of the instrument, and the edges of many of the brass flanges on the bodywork, are given a milled finish, to give that traditional, decorative touch. Even the brass screw-heads are individually polished!

The drawtube of the telescope is moved by the rack-and-pinion mechanism, which is completely contained within the body of the telescope. The drawtube has a diameter of 50mm and a total travel of 100mm. The eyepiece socket accommodates standard 2" (50.8mm) eyepieces. We can supply adapters for standard 1 1/4" (31.7mm) eyepieces. As you can see from the photograph, the eyepiece socket on the drawtube is provided with two clamp screws to retain the eyepiece securely, and each clamp screw is given a milled, decorative finish in traditional style.

With all that attention to the detail of the telescope body it is of paramount importance to us that the lens at the front of the telescope should be of the highest optical quality. Our telescopes are not built simply for their decorative appeal - they are scientific instruments that will satisfy the requirements of the most discerning of astronomical observers.

In one version of the 120mm refractor that we have shown you, the lens at the front of the telescope - the objective lens - is a research grade, 120mm diameter, air-spaced doublet. The focal length of the lens is 1500mm, which gives the lens a focal ratio of f/12.5.

The lens is anti-reflection coated on all four surfaces and is of superb quality.

If you are not sure what these technical terms mean please consult the glossary

Supplied as standard with the telescope:

Each telescope is supplied as standard with a brass finder telescope, either 7x50 or 10x50, according to the customer's choice. As you can see from the illustrations, a pair of adjustable brass rings attaches the finder telescope to the main instrument. Each ring has three adjustment screws (polished brass, of course!) that bear on the finder telescope by means of soft-lined pressure pads.

Each telescope is supplied, as standard, with one of our brass, Plossl eyepieces, which has a focal length of 35mm. Such an eyepiece gives a magnification of x43 with a 1500mm focal length objective lens.

Prices and delivery times

As a guide, prices for our brass, 120mm refracting telescopes start at £4535.00, for the telescope illustrated. Delivery time is about 13 weeks, which depends, of course, on the current order book. We can give you a more accurate assessment of the delivery time when you get in touch with us.

Technical Specification Summary:

Objective lens: We can offer you two superb options.

Other sizes and types of brass refracting telescopes

76mm Refractors

In this instrument the objective lens is a cemented doublet with a diameter of 76mm and a focal length of 1002mm, giving a focal ratio of f/13.2. The lens is fully anti-reflection coated. As with the 120mm telescope, the lens is in a detachable brass cell so that it can be stored or transported separately.

The telescope is supplied with a brass finder telescope, again either 7x50 or 10x50 and a brass Plossl eyepiece.

The current price is £3575.00 with, again, a delivery time of about 13 weeks.

There are more pictures of this type of telescope in the Photo Gallery

Apochromatic Brass refracting telescopes (triplet lenses)

Some astronomers prefer much shorter focal ratio refracting telescopes because, perhaps, their main interest is in CCD or digital astro-photography. Such short telescopes (typically f/6) require the use of a triplet, or apochromatic, objective lens in order to give an image of sufficient quality.

We are quite prepared to supply our brass telescopes with 'fast', short focal ratio, triplet lenses. As an example we can offer a 115mm-diameter apochromatic triplet lens with a focal length of 805mm (focal ratio f/7). In this case the lens would not be of British origin so prices may vary, but the guide price for such an instrument would be about £4975.

For those who need a rather smaller brass telescope, we can offer one of our instruments fitted with an 80mm diameter f/6 or 80mm diameter f/7.5 triplet lens. These lenses have their middle element of fluorite. Please get in touch with us if you wish to check prices, which will be in the region of £4475.

In the case of all of these short focal ratio telescopes, our production time would be about 13 weeks, assuming the lenses were readily available from their manufacturers.

Tripods and Mounts

Our brass refracting telescopes benefit from being used on a mount and a tripod that matches and complements their appearance.

We make superb tripods in British-produced timber, such as oak. All the metal fittings are in polished brass and the tripods are immensely sturdy. They are made to a height to suit the customer.

We can make mounts for fitting the telescope to the tripod, either altazimuth or equatorial. As you might expect, they are made in brass. The mounts can be provided with slow motions in both axes if the customer so requires.

All the photographs of our brass telescopes show them on one of our brass, altazimuth mounts, just to give you an indication of the standard of our workmanship.

There are all sorts of variants possible, so just get in touch with us if you would like an idea of price.

Special Items

We will make a brass telescope to suit your own objective lens

From time to time customers have asked us to build-up a telescope, using an objective lens that they have acquired. We have always been happy to do this, please contact us to discuss your specific requirements.

We have photographs of telescopes, mounts, caps and focussing mechanisms in the Photo Gallery

Special items, made to order

From time to time our astronomy customers ask us to make special items that are not available commercially. The photograph below shows a small finder telescope, which we made for a gentleman in France.

He required a finder for his large, reflecting telescope, but weight was going to be an important consideration. The finder telescope and its mounting brackets had to be as light as possible so that it did not upset the balance of the main telescope. Also, for convenience of use, the finder telescope had to have its eyepiece on the side, rather than being a straight-through telescope.

On this occasion we used aluminium alloy for the telescope and its adjustable mounting rings and we finished everything with satin black paint, to match the customer's existing telescope. We provided the finder support rings with knurled brass adjustment screws that were chromium plated, to contrast nicely with the black paintwork.

The eyepiece of this little 7x50 finder was a Plossl, to give a good, wide field of view.

The gentleman wrote to us later, saying that his friends were astonished at the performance of the little telescope. 'Like looking through a window into space' was apparently how they described it.

Delivery times

Small telescopes such as this generally do not take long to make. We try to complete them within 28 days.

Our traditional brass refractors are made to give their owners a lifetime of satisfaction and enjoyment, and we are proud to offer them for your consideration. Please contact us to discuss your specific requirements without obligation.