Refracting telescope of 3 3/16-inch aperture and 48 inch focal length by Charles Tulley, Islington on an altazimuth mounting with a wooden tripod stand. Accessories include, a diagonal, 5 eyepieces, 5 dark glass filters, a finder telescope and a fitted wooden box for the telescope tube which breaks down into two halves. Puchased by John Lecky an amateur astronomer from the maker in 1822 for 36 guineas [£37-80].
Dated to 1822, this brass telescope was made by the London instrument maker, Charles Tulley. The instrument has a 3¼-inch aperture lens and is mounted on a yoke stand with braced mahogany tripod. To aid the location of objects under study, the telescope is provided with a smaller finder telescope. It is also fitted with a pair of nested drawtube arms to steady the telescope whilst it is moved or stationary. The telescope was originally purchased for 36 guineas (£37-80) by John Lecky and remained in the same family before it was donated to the Science Museum in 1915. Originally supplied with a brass tabletop stand, surviving letters indicate, that a local carpenter made the wooden tripod.