A SUBSTANTIAL VICTORIAN LACQUERED BRASS 3.75-INCH REFRACTING TELESCOPE

A SUBSTANTIAL VICTORIAN LACQUERED BRASS 3.75-INCH REFRACTING TELESCOPET. Cooke and Sons, York, late 19th centuryThe 55.5 inch two-stage tube fitted with a 'star finder' tube and signed T. Cooke & Sons, YORK near the rack and pinion focus adjustment screw, with telescopic eyepiece assembly threaded into the tube end piece, fitted via four pinned studs onto a substantial pivoted and counterweighted cast iron and brass mount over three-legged ebonised wood tripod stand with brass feet, with a selection of mainly unrelated tubes and eyepieces, the telescope in original stained pine box, the tubes and lenses in a second pine box with carrying handle, (optics generally incomplete).The telescope box 166cm (65.25ins) long, 20cm (8ins) wide, 21.5cm (8.5ins) high. The firm of Thomas Cooke and Sons was established in York by Thomas Cooke in 1837 where he built a factory at Bishophill in 1855. Thomas died in 1868 and was succeeded by his sons. At the outbreak of the First World War the Bishophill factory was redeveloped to cope with the growing demand for defence products.Vickers Ltd acquired control of the firm in 1915 and oversaw its expansion until they merged with Troughton & Simms of London, in 1922 becoming Cooke, Troughton & Sims.