Chérubin d'Orléans (1613-1697)
Binocular telescope, ca. 1675
Florence, Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, inv. 2563

Probably the oldest extant binocular telescope, it consists of two identical telescopes (with a magnifying power of 15x) paired in a three-piece rectangular-section tube. The eyepieces, consisting of three lenses each, are situated at the end of the widest section lined in black leather, while the objective lenses are located in the narrowest section. The instrument bears the Medici coat of arms.