A GEORGE III SEVEN DRAW GILT-BRASS AND IVORY POCKET FIELD GLASS TELESCOPE

A GEORGE III SEVEN DRAW GILT-BRASS AND IVORY POCKET FIELD GLASS TELESCOPE
BY BERGE, LONDON, LATE RAMSDEN, CIRCA 1802-1810
With circular ivory body engraved 'Lord Fitz-Roy Somerset', the front ring engraved with a band of running foliage, the edges reeded, the eye-piece with engraved maker's signature
2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm.) diameter

Lord FitzRoy Somerset, later 1st Baron Raglan (1788-1855), used by him during the Peninsular War and at Waterloo (where he lost his right arm).
Deposited with the Royal United Service Institution by Lt. Col. George Somerset, 3rd Baron Raglan, between 1895 and 1908; removed by Major FitzRoy Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan, in October 1952.

Specialist note

Matthew Berge was an optical, mathematical and philosophical instrument maker and was in business for 19 years. In 1800 he took over the late Jesse Ramsden's business at 199 Piccadilly and some examples of his work are signed Berge late Ramsden, trading on his predecessor's prestigious name. Berge died in 1819.