In Memory of Edward Wolf
With loving memories, the family announces the death of Edward Wolf on March 11, 2023. He was an avid antique telescope collector, restorer, historian, author...and so much more. We will continue to maintain this website in his honor. His enjoyment and excitement for antique telescopes was something he dearly loved to share with others.
111 Telescopes by 70 Makers in 8 Countries during 5 Centuries
Welcome to Wolf Telescopes, a collection of historical telescopes. You are invited to “stroll” leisurely through this virtual museum of historical telescopes. It is hoped that in so doing, you will garner some of the enjoyment, even excitement, this collector/restorer had in the hunt for these fine instruments and in preparing them for inclusion in this collection. These then state-of-the-art instruments of visual inquiry, predominantly from the 18th and 19th centuries, literally opened our eyes and minds to the universe around us. Historians of scientific instruments, curators of museums, collectors, dealers, and all seriously interested parties are invited to contact the author for additional information about the collection.
BEIJING PLANETARIUM HAS ACQUIRED THE COLLECTION
We are pleased to announce that this collection was acquired in 2016 and is now part of the holdings of the Beijing Planetarium in Beijing, China. It is anticipated that the collection will be on display in the Beijing Ancient Observatory. The observatory was built in 1442 during the Ming dynasty and is one of the oldest observatories in the world. It is operated as a museum in affiliation with the Beijing Planetarium
Beijing Planetarium
Beijing Ancient Observatory
COLLECTION BOOKS ARE CURRENTLY ON BACK ORDER
PLEASE CHECK BACK IN JUNE
Full color hardcover collection books are available for purchase featuring 365 pages with nearly 1500 professional photographs documenting this collection of historical telescopes. For more information about the book and how to order, please click on the button below.
"Wolf Telescopes: A Collection of Historical Telescopes is among the most beautifully executed books I have ever seen. The photographs provide the reader with breathtaking views of, and insights into, the history of telescopes."
Neil F. Comins
Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Maine and Author of:
"Discovering the Universe"
"What if the Earth Had Two Moons?"
"Heavenly Errors: Misconceptions About the Real Nature of the Universe"
"What If the Moon Didn't Exist?"