So someone takes a cheap scope, puts some wood on it and....

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1288...=sr_gallery_17

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 1:16:53 AM UTC-4, RichA wrote:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1288...=sr_gallery_17

Then there's this:

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/

How much does it cost? If you have to ask, you can't afford it:

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=12346

(The replica uses a mirror diagonal instead of a prism and has improved bearings, IIRC.)

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/in-the-news.html

wrote:
On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 1:16:53 AM UTC-4, RichA wrote:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1288...=sr_gallery_17

Then there's this:

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/

How much does it cost? If you have to ask, you can't afford it:

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=12346

(The replica uses a mirror diagonal instead of a prism and has improved bearings, IIRC.)

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/in-the-news.html



Replicas like that will be cheap when 3D printing is a bit better.

On Thursday, 24 March 2016 06:16:53 UTC+1, RichA wrote:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1288...=sr_gallery_17

Posted by "He who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing." One should never be shocked by the price of anything. It is merely an offer to sell at the specified asking price. Only if the owner has a monopoly on a highly beneficial product may one sniff at the price. History will record whether the seller was successful in attracting a buyer [or buyers.]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch: "A fool and his money are soon parted." The world is stuffed with awful daubs over which the super rich compete for ownership. I would hesitate to use one of these daubs as a doormat simply due to its poor functionality for such a purpose. Others use them to [partially] conceal their hideous taste in wallpaper in their sprawling mansions and equally tasteless palaces.

The rich are as much hidebound by the conventions of their class as any other. A pitfall many might envy, but thank the gods, I am not Chump!! Mind you, if he had not existed then you would have had to invent him. Somebody has to help lift Hillary to power. You've had your token black person and you hated him. Now you can have your token woman and hate her too. It will help to soften you all up for the overtly gay Mexican and [finally] the Chinese dictator you were all really waiting for, but were too afraid to ask? ;-)

On Thursday, 24 March 2016 10:51:34 UTC-4, Chris.B wrote:
On Thursday, 24 March 2016 06:16:53 UTC+1, RichA wrote:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1288...=sr_gallery_17

Posted by "He who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing." One should never be shocked by the price of anything. It is merely an offer to sell at the specified asking price. Only if the owner has a monopoly on a highly beneficial product may one sniff at the price. History will record whether the seller was successful in attracting a buyer [or buyers.]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch: "A fool and his money are soon parted." The world is stuffed with awful daubs over which the super rich compete for ownership. I would hesitate to use one of these daubs as a doormat simply due to its poor functionality for such a purpose. Others use them to [partially] conceal their hideous taste in wallpaper in their sprawling mansions and equally tasteless palaces.

The rich are as much hidebound by the conventions of their class as any other. A pitfall many might envy, but thank the gods, I am not Chump!! Mind you, if he had not existed then you would have had to invent him. Somebody has to help lift Hillary to power. You've had your token black person and you hated him. Now you can have your token woman and hate her too. It will help to soften you all up for the overtly gay Mexican and [finally] the Chinese dictator you were all really waiting for, but were too afraid to ask? ;-)

Narcotics and usenet don't mix well...

On Thursday, 24 March 2016 05:55:18 UTC-4, wrote:
On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 1:16:53 AM UTC-4, RichA wrote:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1288...=sr_gallery_17

Then there's this:

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/

How much does it cost? If you have to ask, you can't afford it:

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=12346

(The replica uses a mirror diagonal instead of a prism and has improved bearings, IIRC.)

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/in-the-news.html

That's a good one. One the same screen, "160x binoculars."

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 11:10:55 AM UTC-4, RichA wrote:
On Thursday, 24 March 2016 05:55:18 UTC-4, wrote:
On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 1:16:53 AM UTC-4, RichA wrote:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1288...=sr_gallery_17

Then there's this:

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/

How much does it cost? If you have to ask, you can't afford it:

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=12346

(The replica uses a mirror diagonal instead of a prism and has improved bearings, IIRC.)

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/in-the-news.html

That's a good one. One the same screen, "160x binoculars."

A rare original PGT sold for ~$18k a few years ago, IIRC.

The makers of the replicas had to start by scanning an original since there didn't seem to be any surviving plans from Jones and Lamson. Then they had to figure out how to cast it accurately in bronze. All of that is bound to drive up the price.

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:46:06 AM UTC-4, Mike Collins wrote:
wsnell01 wrote:
On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 1:16:53 AM UTC-4, RichA wrote:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1288...=sr_gallery_17

Then there's this:

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/

How much does it cost? If you have to ask, you can't afford it:

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=12346

(The replica uses a mirror diagonal instead of a prism and has improved bearings, IIRC.)

http://www.gardentelescopes.com/in-the-news.html



Replicas like that will be cheap when 3D printing is a bit better.

Until then, here is a link to the manual:

http://www.philharrington.net/porter.pdf

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:51:34 AM UTC-4, Chris.B wrote:
On Thursday, 24 March 2016 06:16:53 UTC+1, RichA wrote:

link deleted

Posted by "He who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing."

With fairly little effort and a few dollars worth of contact paper and metallic spray paint one could take almost any old telescope and get much the same effect, although it wouldn't be the work of a famous artist.

On Thursday, 24 March 2016 16:52:30 UTC-4, wrote:
On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:51:34 AM UTC-4, Chris.B wrote:
On Thursday, 24 March 2016 06:16:53 UTC+1, RichA wrote:

link deleted

Posted by "He who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing."

With fairly little effort and a few dollars worth of contact paper and metallic spray paint one could take almost any old telescope and get much the same effect, although it wouldn't be the work of a famous artist.

There was some Brit outfit a while back "retrofitting" decent telescopes in brass and charging a notable premium.