A 19th century brass 4" reflecting telescope By Henry Pyefinch, of London
£450
Auction: 25 March 2009 at 11:00 GMT
Description
the barrrel with rod adjustment , dust cover and sighting tube, the end engraved 'Pyefinch, Cornhill, London', with two spare objectives, the hemispherical rack and pinion adjustment for pitch and yaw, on a short baluster column and folding underscrolled tripod base, the lens tubes each 4cm diameter; lengths 9cm, 10cm and 11.3cm (excluding screw threads), engraved 'A', 'B' and 'C', one subsidiary upper tube missing, requiring restoration, in fitted mahogany case
Dimensions
35cm wide, 54cm high, barrel 66cm long (diameter:10.5cm)
Footnote
Note: Henry Pyefinch was born in Hereford and apprenticed to the celebrated instrument maker Francis Watkins in 1753. He was in business on his own account from 1763 with premises to be found at the sign of the 'Quadrant, Sun and Spectacles, 67 Cornhill, London', thereafter locating to various nearby premises. Pyefinch died in 1790. A number of Pyefinch telescopes are held in pubic collections although 4" reflectors
would appear to be scarce. That he made them, however, as well as a wide range of other instruments, is further confirmed by one of Pyefinch's trade advertisements, now held at the Science Museum in London.
Along with several other instrument makers, Pyefinch was sued by Peter Dollond in 1768 for having infringed on his patent for achromatic telescopes. Dollond won, but when the patent ran out in 1772, Pyefinch was free to advertise and make instruments with so-called achromatic lenses.
Pyefinch himself, howvever, was an innovative instrument designer and craftsman. For example, in 1765, working with a Portuguese scientist, he patented an instrument - the 'Aerostathmion' - to measure the effect of the weight of the atmosphere and the thermal variations.