
Swiss Gold and Enamel Telescope
One of the most significant inventions of the modern age, the telescope was initially developed and came to public attention in the Netherlands circa 1600. However, it was in 1609 that Italian inventor Galileo Galilei improved upon the mechanism, thereby further advancing modern astronomy. His humble instrument, now preserved in the History of Science Museum in Florence, is a one-and-a-half-inch lens displayed in an ornate frame. Others soon followed. Fitted into simple wooden tubes just a few feet long, Galileo’s lenses magnified the heavens, bringing the moon, sunspots and nearby planets into focus. The present piece is an exquisite example of this scientific tradition.
Circa 1820
3 1/8” length x 2" diameter
Original: $78,500.00
-65%$78,500.00
$27,475.00More Images




Swiss Gold and Enamel Telescope
One of the most significant inventions of the modern age, the telescope was initially developed and came to public attention in the Netherlands circa 1600. However, it was in 1609 that Italian inventor Galileo Galilei improved upon the mechanism, thereby further advancing modern astronomy. His humble instrument, now preserved in the History of Science Museum in Florence, is a one-and-a-half-inch lens displayed in an ornate frame. Others soon followed. Fitted into simple wooden tubes just a few feet long, Galileo’s lenses magnified the heavens, bringing the moon, sunspots and nearby planets into focus. The present piece is an exquisite example of this scientific tradition.
Circa 1820
3 1/8” length x 2" diameter
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Description
One of the most significant inventions of the modern age, the telescope was initially developed and came to public attention in the Netherlands circa 1600. However, it was in 1609 that Italian inventor Galileo Galilei improved upon the mechanism, thereby further advancing modern astronomy. His humble instrument, now preserved in the History of Science Museum in Florence, is a one-and-a-half-inch lens displayed in an ornate frame. Others soon followed. Fitted into simple wooden tubes just a few feet long, Galileo’s lenses magnified the heavens, bringing the moon, sunspots and nearby planets into focus. The present piece is an exquisite example of this scientific tradition.
Circa 1820
3 1/8” length x 2" diameter























