Achromatic Telescope
1790-1799 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This achromatic telescope made by the firm of Ramsden, London, in about 1790 belonged to Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore from 1782-1799. It was taken from his palace at the Siege of Seringapatam in 1799, when the army of the East India Company defeated and killed Tipu Sultan. The telescope is engraved round the brass mount of the outer section: 'Col. Wemyss Smith. This telescope was taken from the body of Tippoo Sahib at Seringapatam, May 4th 1799'.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Casing of wood and brass |
| Brief description | Tipu Sultan's telescope and case, wood and brass, Ramsden, London |
| Marks and inscriptions | "Ramsden London" engraved on the smallest section nearest the eyepiece; "Col. Wemyss Smith, This telescope was taken from the body of Tippo Sahib, at Seringapatam, May 4th 1799" engraved round the brass mount of the largest (outer) section. |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Owned by Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Taken at Seringapatam in 1799 by Captain Wemyss Smith. |
| Production | A similar achromatic telescope made by Ramsden is in the National Maritime Museum, London (NAV1678) |
| Summary | This achromatic telescope made by the firm of Ramsden, London, in about 1790 belonged to Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore from 1782-1799. It was taken from his palace at the Siege of Seringapatam in 1799, when the army of the East India Company defeated and killed Tipu Sultan. The telescope is engraved round the brass mount of the outer section: 'Col. Wemyss Smith. This telescope was taken from the body of Tippoo Sahib at Seringapatam, May 4th 1799'. |
| Bibliographic reference | Stronge, Susan, Tipu's Tigers, London: V&A Publishing, 2009 ISBN. 9781851775750
pp.50-51, no. 52
Note - cat. no in book is incorrect. NOT IS1853 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.153&A-1964 |
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| Record created | July 31, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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