A George III lacquered brass 3-inch refracting telescope, Ramsden, London, circa 1790 The 42 inch tube with rack and pinion focus adjustment and telescopic eyepiece assembly threaded into the tube end piece engraved RAMSDEN LONDON to circumference, mounted via substantial twin scroll-pierced pivoted yoke joint onto a column turned upright with rotational screw adjustment via a square and slender pivoted wooden baluster handled key at the junction with the folding tripod stand incorporating cabriole legs with pad feet, with a choice of five eyepieces (lacking starfinder, steady bar and focus adjustment rack mechanism), minimum total length 117cm (46in) overall. Ramsden is recorded in Clifton, Gloria Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 as working from several addresses in London 1762 until his death in 1800, however by 1782 both his workshop and principal retail outlet were on Piccadilly. He was one of the finest instrument makers of the period being particularly well known for his invention of a dividing engine and subsequent equatorial telescope stands.