Telescopes and Binoculars

Adding Intrigue and Style with Binoculars and Telescopes

Interior accessories should add panache to a room's decor while at the same time make a statement about the homeowner. If you are looking for distinctive accessories that evoke intellectual curiosity and travels to far-away realms, consider adding binoculars or telescopes to round out the appeal of your home's interior.

While both binoculars and telescopes are used to assist in the viewing of distant objects, the biggest difference is that telescopes allow viewing with one eye, while binoculars accommodate both eyes. The addition of a stationary stand to either of these viewing accessories helps the user to keep them steady for a close-up picture that's not moving around.

In interior design, the perfect location for binoculars or telescopes is near a window with a view or on a balcony that opens up to an interesting panorama. If you are fortunate enough to have a window that looks out on a compelling landscape or even a body of water, consider placing a set of binoculars or a telescope on a nearby table or on its own stand. You and your guests will be able to enjoy looking out through the lenses and observing wildlife, scanning for far-away features, or just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful view.

Telescopes are particularly well-suited for nighttime viewing of celestial bodies. What fun you could have hosting a Star Party; you and your guests could enjoy socializing while gazing into the heavens to observe the planets and stars that are far away from our own earth.

Don't forget the statement that these pieces can make as accessories, too. The fine craftsmanship is a pleasure to behold, and think about the touch of exotic travel that binoculars and telescopes bring to the room's overall feeling. A well-built device can be interesting to examine and can also provide the impetus to many lively conversations. In much the same way, an intricate sextant can add historical charm to a decor; while these navigational instruments are rarely in use now, sextants are still fascinating to look at and could add much to a room's style and sophistication.

So as you are contemplating ways in which you can enhance a panoramic view or provide interesting conversation pieces, be sure to check out these elegantly crafted home accessories.

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Telescopes and Binoculars Collection

Telescope The telescope is an intriguing and classic explorers and navigators tool. Essential instruments – A compass, a sextant and a telescope. The telescope consists of a wood barrel holding an objective, a system of lenses. It is protected by brass collars and a decorative brass cap.

To use the telescope, pull out the brass tubes (called drawers in Britain). The smallest tube holds the eye objective. Judiciously push in the smallest end-tube to focus.

Walking stick with telescope - Why Victorians felt compelled to invent weird contraptions like cachepots holding mousetraps or fire alarms in the shape of a stuffed goat head is beyond me. Within the outrageousness of such creations, a telescope mounted on a walking stick deserves the highest praise… Its polished knob fits comfortable in the palm of one’s hand. Rosewood of the finest selection is used for a slender, but eminently sturdy walking stick. A cleverly engineered mechanism allows the telescope to be pulled up and swiveled. Held up by the walking stick this telescope can be aimed and pointed like a monocle. Do not forget to remove the cap. Yes, it magnifies… threefold.

Victorian Binoculars with Tripod - Classic campaign binoculars used by Victorian gentry and Army and Navy to observe while able to take notes and sketch. Sturdy 19th century binoculars on elegant beautifully crafted mini-tripod. Binoculars were a Victorian invention and were much easier to use than the one lens drawn out telescope.

Spyglass telescope - Spyglass telescope made to store away as small as possible this is a marvel of hand tooled telescoping brass tubes. Pull out all the way and focus by adjusting the smallest eye-section. Feel like a sea captain scanning the horizon from a heaving aft-deck. Spyglass telescope covered in leather and has bronze finish.

Pocket sextant - Charming pocket sextant as used by Victorian explorers and surveyors. Intricate and semi-functional, sextant has all the pieces needed to shoot the sun. A sextant defined latitude. A clock longitude. Defining the angle of Sun and Stars with the horizon was an important way to navigate and survey. A beautiful intricate little instrument with an interesting and ancient history

Queen Anne Telescope This telescope is a beauty that once belonged in the realm of Kings and Queens. Queen Anne telescope is lighter in appearance and more graceful looking than more military oriented telescopes dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Definitely Queen Anne style, easy to appreciate its beauty and detail. Flowing lines and subtly sculptured moldings define a folding tripod taking up minimal space. This telescope will fit nearly anywhere, even taking pride of place on a coffee table. Two pull-out drawers (extensions), a rosewood main body, quality optics, assembled and made in solid admiralty brass. Magnification 8x

Tabletop telescope - Detailed replica of classic campaign style telescope. Tabletop telescope has an adjustable legs, brass accents. Magnifies 10x. Professional decorators love this vintage instrument.

Floor-Stand telescope - This stunning telescope made of instrument quality brass. Telescopes stand made of rich rosewood and has an adjustable legs with solid brass fittings. Magnifies 20x. Sculptural classic decor aspects of this telescope exceed practical value.

Surveyor telescope - Like the sturdy surveyor's instruments from Victorian times… Surveyor telescope has an attractive ebonized wood and brass height adjustable tripod. This telescope handmade by skilled craftsmen and has a separate eye-scope mounted atop. Surveyor telescope made of solid brass and plated in heavy nickel to withstand the elements and keep its shine forever. This 19th century explorers tool now beloved as beautiful and interesting home decor item

Achieve Far Sight with Telescopes and Binoculars

Do you ever dream of being an Old World astronomer like Galileo, gazing at the stars? What about a ship’s captain? Or, perhaps an explorer of new lands? Well, you can’t do any of those things without your trusty telescope, ever at the ready. Our selection of authentic reproduction telescopes and binoculars are sure to magnify your imagination.

The invention of the telescope was almost certainly one of humankind’s most significant scientific achievements of the age. The first telescope, which magnified objects by a factor of four, was developed in the Netherlands in the early 1600s by a pair of spectacle makers and an instrument builder, but a patent was never filed. Galileo improved on the original design, increasing magnification to a factor of 20. From that and many other improvements, he was able to make his numerous celestial discoveries.

These early Galilean telescopes were rather large and required a good amount of space and labor to operate. Following the principles of reflection, which included the addition of mirrors to improve magnification without adding more lenses, others would work to decrease the size of the telescope for more convenient use. These smaller “terrestrial telescopes” were much more portable and easier to use, requiring only a small stand or tripod.

In the 18th century, the specialization of optics improved the technology, further increasing magnification in a collapsible telescope. Enter the spyglass—a portable telescope one could carry on his person. Shortly thereafter, the binocular scope was developed, giving the user not just magnification, but depth perception.

The glory of the era of exploration and discovery is still alive and well. Our authentic reproductions of antique telescopes and binoculars are fully functional, authentic replicas of original pieces, so you can entertain your fantasies of discovering a new planet or far off land. The spyglass telescope, with its bronze finish and leather accents extends to 18” in length and collapses for easy stowage in your captain’s waistcoat or on a desk for display. Our Victorian binoculars are authentically crafted in the style of those issued to officers in the British army and navy. The beautiful Queen Anne telescope is a truly elegant piece of art. With its polished brass and rosewood body, this piece of optical brilliance blends well with any decor, but it won’t fade into the background.

Other benefactors of the evolution of the telescope were sea travelers, who used sextants, along with clocks and compasses, to help navigate their vessel on the open ocean. Land surveyors also used sextants to measure the boundaries of individual properties and government territories. Our stunning reproduction pocket sextant is a true replica of those complex, yet beautifully simple optical devices used in the Victorian era. Optional case for storage is available.

You don’t have to look far to see the elegant beauty of these wondrous optical instruments from ages past. Your secret desire to be a pirate captain or explorer is safe with us.