logologo-optometry

Cased Dollond field glasses or binoculars

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Catalogue Number: 3301
Cased Dollond field glasses or binoculars
Category: Spectacles and lenses
Sub-Category: Telescopes, binoculars, opera glasses
Year Of Publication/Manufacture: c1895
Time Period: 19th C
Place Of Publication/Manufacture: London, UK
Publisher/Manufacturer: Dollond
Description Of Item: Field glasses of simple Galilean design with original leather case. Black painted metal body with stitched brown leather coverings on binocular draw tubes. Central focussing wheel with textured grip. Objective lens shades. Both eyepieces marked 'DOLLOND LONDON'. Fixed bridge marked 'x5' & '2 7/16''. Original brown leather case lined with brown velvet, printed in gold lettering under lid 'ESTD 1750/ DOLLOND LONDON/ 35 LUDGATE HILL, 62, OLD BROAD ST/ 5 NORTHUMBERLAND AV, 223, OXFORD ST/ WORKS 11, KIRBY STREET'. Owner's inscription in ink inside rim of case lid: 'D.T. HOSKYN R.N.'. Dimensions 120 x 115 x 55mm.Binoculars only in Museum Gallery display.
Historical Significance: Dollond were a famed firm of London opticians and scientific instrument makers founded in 1750. It was held by several generations of the Dollond family until 1871. In 1907 it became a listed company Dollond & Co. In 1927 it was acquired by James Aitchison to become Dollond & Aitchison after which it concentrated increasingly on prescription spectacles. In 2009 Boots Opticians merged with Dollond & Aitchison.The owner's inscription 'D.T.HOSKYN R.N.' refers to Dr Donald T Hoskyn m.b. of the Royal Navy. Navy Lists and the British Medical Journal indicate that he was serving on HMS Curacao visiting New Zealand in 1893 and Apia, Samoa in 1894. In January 1903 he was appointed Staff Surgeon to HMS President for a 3 month course of hospital study. In June 1903 he became Fleet Surgeon to HMS Mersey. In 1912 he was the Deputy Surgeon-General of the Royal Hospital, Hong Kong. The National Library of New Zealand record Ref MNZ-2834-1/4-F shows an engraving from a drawing by Donald T Hoskyn published in 'The Graphic' (London) January 27 1894, headed 'New Zealand introduces women's suffrage'. The illustration shows women gathering at the Devonport (NZ) Borough Council Chambers for the general elections 28 November 1893. In England, women did not become eligible to be elected to Parliament until 1918, and were only able to vote on the same terms as men in 1928.
How Acquired: Donated by Pamela Sutton
Date Acquired: April 2017
Condition: Binoculars:very good, case:poor
Location: Archive Office. Cabinet One Drawer 15

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