Optical Instruments: Microscopes, Binoculars, Sextans, Theodolits, Hand Scopes

Here is the 20c value (Sc #240) from Norfolk Island's October 27, 1978 two-stamp set commemorating the 250th birth anniversary of Captain James Cook. Stamp depicts Captain Cook and his telescope with a backdrop of a bird's eye view of his home town, Staithes near Marton, Yorkshire.

On May 1, 1980 Netherlands issued this 50c stamp to commemorate the JUPOSTEX Stamp Exhibition held in Eindhoven from May 23-27. Stamp depicts two oddly-proportioned children examining a stamp album.

Here is the 1'30 value from Tanzania's 1968 four-stamp set commemorating the 40th anniversary of the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) of the United Nations.

This January 31, 1990 $1.10 value (Sc. #249) of Christmas Island is from the two-stamp set commemorating the 375th anniversary of the discovery of Christmas Island. Stamp depicts the second sighting and naming of the island by English sea captain William Mynors aboard the Royal Mary on December 25, 1643.

A magnifying glass is shown on this March 23, 1999 sixteen tolar stamp (Sc #346) of Slovenia commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Slovenian Philatelic Society.

On July 1, 1994 Singapore issued a four-stamp set commemorating the 25th anniversary of the country's 'Operationally-ready National Servicemen' program. The 20c value (SG #762) of this set shows a soldier using a telescopic rangefinder during a training exercise.

Here is the two shilling value (Sc #23) from British Antarctic Territory's February 6, 1969 'Scientific Work' set of four stamps. Stamp shows a scientist with binoculars standing beside a theodolite.

A surveyor using a theodolite is shown on the 40c value (Sc #555) from Tuvalu's November 20, 1990 '40th Anniversary of the United Nations Development Program' set of three stamps.

On October 25, 1991 Italy released this 750 lira stamp (Sc #1857) as its Stamp Day issue. Stamp depicts Alberto (1974-1944) and Giulio Bolaffi (1902-1987). Both father and son were 'distinguished philatelists' and stamp dealers in Torino/Turin. Giulio is shown holding a magnifying glass.

Here is a 1990 sheet of Christmas/anti-tuberculosis labels of the non-profit organization "Kuratorium Tuberculose in der Welt e.v." of Gauting, Germany. This organization sponsors clinics and sanatoriums around the world, where TB is still a problem.

Two of the labels in the sheet show a "turn-of-the-century" (ca. 1900) microscope.

This 1921 one half penny value (Sc #37) of St Kitts-Nevis is from the KGV definitive series.

From wikipedia, The first Europeans to see and name the islands were the Spanish under Christopher Columbus, who sighted the islands on 11 and 13 November 1493 during his second voyage.

And of course he did not sight the islands with a telescope, which was invented much later.

Thanks 22crows. It looks like the first practical telescope with glass refracting lenses was made in Holland by Hans Lipperhay in 1608. I can't find information pinpointing the first use of a nautical telescope, but it was certainly later than that.

The design of the St. Kitts-Nevis KGV stamp leads one to believe that Columbus is sighting the islands with a telescope, but there is no such inscription in the design.

It's a well-known design fault/anachronism on the various issues of St Kitts-Nevis stamps that it appeared on.

This January 17, 2000 46c stamp (Sc #1822b) of Canada is from mini sheet of four such values of different designs issued as the 2nd series of 'The Millennium Collection'. Stamp depicts Dr. Armand Frappier (1904-1991) and his microscope.

From wikipedia. "Armand Frappier was a physician, microbiologist, and expert on tuberculosis from Quebec, Canada."