“Glass.” The tall Virginian stood on an outcrop of rock appropriately named Point of Rock. He trained his eyes on the spectacle unfolding below. The four-draw mahogany spyglass with brass scope and brass cap was laid neatly in his open palm. The name “Shuttleworth of London,” indicating its fine workmanship, was engraved on the bottom of one of Washington’s most recent and prized possessions. Washington raised the foot-long scope. He squinted through the lens and slowly doubled the tube’s length. The flash of redcoats stark against the green foliage proved his enemy took the bait. From Josiah, Book 1 of the Shades of Liberty Series.
It was during the Battle of Long Island and through a spyglass that Washington uttered “what fine men I must lose this day,” as he witnessed the carnage and sacrifice of six companies forever known as the “Maryland 400”. He did so from Brooklyn Heights while Lord Stirling and Colonel Gist, along with four hundred men and boys of Maryland, charged General Cornwallis’ superior forces; again, and again they did so, leaving nearly three hundred dead on the field and over a hundred wounded, only thirteen escaped. So too the classic image of Washington standing on Point of Rock on Harlem Heights as he stared through his spyglass at the approaching British. His orders resulted in the Battle of Harlem Heights, the first time that American troops threw back a British force on an open field of battle.
At his death, George Washington’s estate listed “12 Spye glasses” and one larger telescope. Using today’s vernacular, Washington was a proven control freak and pack rat – one who highly valued his possessions with a vengeance, including African American slaves. In an age in which battlefield tactics and communication lay solely on visual and verbal practices, it became imperative that the commanding officer be able to view the action from a safe distance, requiring the optics of a hand held telescope that could collapse for easy carrying. For many officers, the spyglass was as important as their cutlass and pistols and valued as such.
This article will briefly discuss the telescope’s history and function. List the most popular 18th century makers of spyglasses, and lastly examine possible spyglasses that were used by General Washington during the American Revolution.
History
Hans Lipperhay of the Netherlands is credited with inventing the telescope in 1608. The design of the refracting telescope advanced rapidly following its invention in 1608, reaching its modern configuration about a century later. Modern optical instrumentation depended on the innovations in the optical designs of the instruments and the availability of precision brass tubing which was perfected by the mid-1700’s. The achromatic lens, which greatly reduced color aberrations in objective lenses and allowed for shorter and more unctional telescopes, first appeared in a 1733 telescope made by Chester Moore Hall. Hall did not publicize his telescopes and supposedly, John Dollond learned of his invention and by 1758, began producing telescopes and spyglasses in commercial quantities. Collections of antique optical instruments from that time period are often referred to as “glass and brass.” While the most obvious differences between handheld telescopes and binoculars and astronomical telescopes are the diameters of the objective lenses and the system size, the more significant difference may be that handheld telescopes and binoculars were produced in far greater numbers.
Hand held telescopes or spyglasses produced after 1760 can be categorized into four basic designs: Bell-shape, Cone-shape, Pear-shape, and Barrel-shape. Though we generally believe that among the wealthy and ‘blasted’ class of Europeans, the spectacle was the preferred optics used, antique prints make it clear that the more well-to-do often used spyglasses. There are many images of the visually challenged King George III greeting his courtiers from the other end of a spyglass. And what better way to develop the latest gossip, than by discreetly ‘spying’ through these small telescopes while observing those in attendance at the opera. Contrary to public opinion and Hollywood, this was not done with spectacles.
Spyglasses, particularly the barrel-shaped, were of extreme importance to officers in the military and aboard naval ships. As mentioned, the land officer could view his enemy and any developments from a safe distance. So too of importance to the naval captain who viewed his possible enemy from afar. Because these small telescopes could collapse, making it easier to pocket and or carry, they became the preferred optics of the military.
Function
Spyglasses generally work on the Galilean principle. See the image above. They have an objective lens (usually wider) and an eyepiece lens. The lenses may be fixed or they may be accessible by unscrewing the lens mount. The image below is that of a single-draw pre-achromatic telescope with a wooden barrel and a Schyrle erecting system (unsigned, circa 1750, English). The telescope has an overall length of 570 mm. The objective diameter is 23 mm with a 13 mm diameter aperture. Each segment of the draw contains one of the three lenses of the Schyrle erecting system.
Makers
By the mid-1700’s, there were literally hundreds of telescope, spyglass, and binocular makers throughout Europe: particularly England, France, and Germany who led the world in production. However, by the later 1700’s, spyglass and telescope production had advanced in superior quality in China and Japan.
Principal among spyglass makers during the 1700’s were those by John Dollond and Henry Shuttleworth, reported to be used by Washington and will be discussed towards the end of this article. Jones, Charing Cross of London was a popular maker of monocular/spyglasses. Broadhurst, Clarkson & Co. was another. Benjamin martin established an instrument business in 1750. His son Joshua joined him in 1778 and in 1782, he patented a method for producing brass tubing. The same year Charles Tulley bought the firm. The Tulley family owned the business until 1844, when it was bought and developed by Robert Millis who ran it until 1873 when he, in turn, sold it to Alexander Clarkson. Another famous maker was Harris, Thos. & Son, however they did not appear until 1800. George Adams Junior produced spyglasses and was principal optician to King George III.
In France, Noël-Jean Lerebours produced many 18th century spyglass however the popular Bardou & Sons did not begin making optics until 1811. In Italy, Leonardo Semitecolo produced an incredible number of spyglasses, seen more often than any others at antique fairs in Europe, from about 1775 right through the 19th century. Many generations of the same family produced them as evidenced by the large number of spyglasses available for sale at auctions and fairs. Francois de Baillou of Milan (a center for quality spyglass production) flourished from about 1760 as did Pietro Beltrami from around 1750.
Used by Washington
The following reenactment photos are by Ken Bohrer. Visit Ken Here
Because of its fine quality, popularity, and high value over other spyglasses, the Dollond spyglass and telescope (later spelt Dolland) was once the most forged names in antique telescopes. The Dollond family made telescopes for five generations. The family can be traced from the time of the Huguenots in France in the late 17th century down to the great-great grandsons off John Dollond. In the late 1600’s, John Dollond patented the achromatic lens, although the invention was furiously disputed for many years. Ten members of the family became telescope makers, including Jesse Ramdsen, who married one of John Dollond’s daughters. Only in recent history has the Dolland name brand been changed due to several corporate acquisitions.
Named as “Optician to the King” in 1761, many Dollond scopes found their way into the hands of America’s Founding Fathers. Examples are currently housed at Monticello, marked Peter & John Dolland used by Thomas Jefferson, and at the National Museum of American History that was owned by Washington during the American Revolution. The wealthy and social elite of Washington’s day favored these spyglasses not just for the military, but for scientific and social usages. John Trumbull’s famous painting, “George Washington Before the Battle of Trenton,” has the famous general holding a Dollond spyglass in his right hand. These scopes collapsed to a small size and when needed, expanded to 32 inches or more. The source of this spyglass is evidenced in an entry in “Proceedings off the State Historical Society of Wisconsin…”, 1909 in which it states that a “telescope made by John Dolland, London, England, in about the year 1758. Found on one of the ships captured by Commodore John Barry during the War of the Revolution and afterwards presented to General George Washington.”
On display at Mt. Vernon is a spyglass by Samuel Whitford of London as well as Henry Pyefinch of London. The later is a handsome, three-draw, mahogany and brass spyglass listed by Washington as one “which constituted part of my equipage during the late War…” Another popular and highly constructed spyglass was by Henry Raynes Shuttleworth. His scopes made their way to America and were in use during the American Revolution. He made these spyglasses in London from 1760 – 1797 and had been apprenticed to John Cuff from 1746-1747. John Cuff’s bankruptcy in 1750 weakened his business which had gone downhill, ceasing completely by 1770.Two of John Cuff’s later apprentices moved over to work for Shuttleworth that increased the availability of these fine scopes: one in 1761, and the other in 1769. Shuttleworth never engraved an address on his telescopes, but just put Shuttleworth, London. Perhaps the real address of his shop was too cumbersome to be engraved, for they were made at “The Sir Isaac Newton & Two Pairs of Golden Spectacles, the Old Mathematical Shop, near the West End of St Paul’s, London.” After 1774, the shop’s address was simply Ludgate Street, London. From 1788, Henry Raynes’ son (also named Henry) became an apprentice to his father and took over the business in 1797 after his father died. He continued making spyglasses and telescopes until 1811.
Want to Learn More about Spyglasses and Telescopes? Check out these books on Amazon. Just click preview or underlined title for further reading.
Further interesting facts about Washington on Revolutionary War Journal
SOURCES
Watson, Fred. Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope. 2005: Da Capo Press, Boston, MA.
King, Heny C. The History of the Telescope. 1955: Charles Griffin, 2003 Reprint: Dover, Mineola, NY.
Cheetham, Reginald J. Old Telescopes. 1997: Samedan Publishing, Camden, England.
Abrahams, Peter. The History of the Telescope & Binoculars.
Antique Telescopes: Spyglasses
Greivenkamp, John E & Steed, David L. The History of Telescopes and Binoculars: An Engineering Perspective. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ