U.S. Navy Telescope Mk. 74.

leesshop

January 21, 2010 20:36

I have this heavy brass contraption Marked- U. S. NAVY BU. ORD.
TELESCOPE MK. 74, INSPR. H.T.M. NO. 27525
SPENSER LENS CO.
BUFFALO, N.Y. 1943

It has a red rubber eye cup and looking through it I see cross hairs.
Also has two knobs that turn, one says VAR. DENSITY AND RED, YELLOW, AND CLEAR. Can anybody tell me what this is, and what it's worth?
Thanks, leesshop

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  11b6r

  January 22, 2010 16:22

  Ship's telescope, WW II era, made by Honeywell. Colors are likely filters (pre night scope, colored filters aid in fog, smoke, haze.) Find an old Navy Chief, buy him a beer, pick his brain.

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  lcdrdanr

  January 23, 2010 05:14

  It should be brass and covered with pebble grain black leather. If I remember it right Pawn stars had one in good condition in the wooden case dated 1944, I think they valued it at around $200 to $400. Yours might be a different model however. They were trying to attribute it to a specific ship which, unless the scope is marked, can't be done.
  
  Telescopes were generally issued to the quartermasters who are in charge of celestial navigation and the telescopes are kept with the navigation optical instruments. Binoculars were issued to the watch keeping officers and the lookouts. And, there is one huge set of binoculars that used to be permanently mounted on gimbals, they were called "Big Eyes" but again, they were binoculars.
  
  Dan R

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