I didn't know how appropriate this question was for this forum, but I believe it will give me some insight into how to look for such information in the future.
I am looking for schematics of a hand held collapsible/telescoping brass spyglass, much like the ones used by ship captains in the 17th and 18th centuries. I believe such a device would have had to have some documentation to help reproduce it. The most promising thing I have stumbled upon was from a conservation project for artifacts from a shipwreck (https://doi.org/10.1007/s41636-017-0045-z), but I does not have a lot of usable dimensions.
While this is just one example, I am looking to build other small historical artifacts and would like to know a consistent strategy to look for schematics, dimensions or diagrams.
Thanks
You're looking for measured drawings. These are not uncommon for musical instruments ( which I've pursued) or furniture, as those are more commonly reproduced ( indeed, a decision was made some years ago that, if original musical instruments were not going to be degraded by being played, museums needed to encourage the building of reproductions of them and so now measured drawings of period instruments are quite accessible). I don't know how common this would be for something like an 17th-18th c. spyglass, but the procedure is similar to other items: search for an example of such a telescope in a collection , and then inquire of there is a measured drawing already in existence. If not, all museums will keep a file on every object, and with a little luck a curator or a conservator have made enough notes about it that, with the aid of a few photographs, you can work up a reproduction. You might have to augment those notes with measurements you make yourself- which may be quite easy or quite difficult, depending on the museum and their policies of allowing access. You should also be aware that partial or damaged objects may not be on display but be a part of a collection, and those can sometimes supply important details as to methods of construction. A partial spyglass , in other words, might not have to be disassembled to reveal its secrets.
https://digitaltmuseum.se/ is a good source for pictures, contact the individual museum and they might have the dimensions of the objects. Try kikare, teleskop, mätinstrument. Switch language on top right and you can sort on timeperiod
I went for this search as I knew swedish sources would be a goldmine for this kind of thing stumbling upon how to repair windows in the 1800s
Swedish patent database search for kikare might be halfway close to what you are looking for, unfortunately they have almost no dimensions and they are older publications with electronic records partly missing.
I would assume getting your hands on the patent of a optical telescope would be helpful. This was the best I could do. It seems like requesting a patent would possible be an option as atleast I cant find any digitalised archives of schematics regarding collapsible telescopes or any schematics at all regarding optics.
There are actual 1700-1800s "tubkikare" you can buy from auktionsverket.se
If possible let me know how your historical artifact building goes!