6" Handheld Brass Telescope with Wooden Box - Pirate Navigation

So, I like to carry lots of little knick-knacks and gewgaws around in my bag because, well, that's how I roll and I love optical devices (I also carry a great magnifying glass) so I was in the market for a cool little spyglass. I was considering a number of different ones including this. I finally decided upon this one when the price went down a little further.So what did I get for my money?Well the scope came two days after I ordered it (much faster than the estimate, I always love it when that happens and, in my experience, that's almost always the case with the marketplace orders) and it's gorgeous. The Box has a great arrangement of brass hardware and decoration and is lined with pretty nautical blue baize. A very nice storage container you'd probably agree.The scope itself looks lovely, I'm not sure still if the primary section is covered with thin leather or some artificial approximation of thin leather, either way it's not the richest feeling covering but certainly does the job well.The telescoping movement is smooth and substantial; I didn't have difficulty extending it all the way and neither did I feel concerned that it might collapse on me once fully extended.The optical strength of the scope isn't the greatest I've ever seen but it's surprisingly good for the size and price; I think (and this is an estimate I'll do some proper testing, come back and edit this bit) around a 7.5 to 10x enhancement, not the most practical level for a telescope obviously but pretty impressive for a novelty item (next time I have a clear night I'll try it out for a little near earth object gazing).Reading some of the other reviews, you'll see that some people had less than stellar experiences with this item. I think that this isn't surprising. My scope was excellent but it's entirely conceivable that there are, shall we say "erratic heights", in the level of quality from scope to scope. This is probably worth bearing in mind.It's not the greatest scope I've ever used but, for under twenty bucks, I'd have to be mental to expect that it would be. It is, however, a nice little toy/whimsical conversation piece. I think, for the most part, you're likely to be pleased with the scope you order, as long as you are expecting a cute little toy with some impressive optical enhancement not found on other fun little scopes.EDIT: Okay, I did test it and then neglected to report back, it's an 8x, so it's not really an optical tool, but, like I say throughout this, that shouldn't be an expectation with this. :)To the star ratings, a brief explanation:How much fun is this toy?5 stars because this really is a very fun little deviceHow would you rate this toy's educational value?3 stars because I think this would be a useful gift to jump start a number of interesting educational conversations with the right kid, about how optics work, about naval history and a bunch of other topics really.How durable is this toy?5 stars because despite the small size it has a nice and solid construction.How do you rate this toy overall?5 stars because it's generally ace.

Very well made. This was perfect for my grandson who loves everything to do with pirates.

My son loves to play pretend. He has quite the imagination for a toddler his age, creating elaborate story lines for our sessions of make believe. One of his favorite characters is Jake, from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. As I was searching through Amazon for gift ideas for his 3rd birthday, I came across this. I was not expecting much in the way of quality with how low the retail price is, but I decided it was worth the money since the plastic Disney ones were even more expensive and not as likely to hold up as well as metal and leather. I also bought a toy treasure map and was able to fold it up and put it into the lid of this box. It was a tight squeeze, but it fit. The wooden box is very nice. I was surprised at how well crafted the box and telescope were. The telescope works as well as any single lens spy glass, which has served to entertain our older children as well. I highly recommend it!

We bought this for a six year old boy and his first comment was that he couldn't see very far with it. We assured him that when he was older, we'd get one with more magnification -- then he seemed to really like it. Go figure. When we got it, it seemed small to us, but not a bad size for small hands. The box is well made and looks very much like something one might find on a tall ship. The telescope itself is quite sturdy. The leather looking wrap on the outside is well-fitted and looks good. The scope movement is tight and feels like quality. The front lens is not tight, unfortunately, and makes a little noise with movement. We could probably have made this an issue, but there wasn't time before his birthday. Ultimately, this is a pretty nice little product for a young child with pirates on his mind -- and it does have about an 8X magnification.

This little telescope was perfect for our needs. On his 5th birthday my son received an Amazon gift card from and this is what he chose to purchase with it. It looks great, like a real pirate's telescope and he is thrilled with not just the scope, but the box as well. I gave this item the rating I did because it is a great toy that I believe will stand up to lots of playtime.Here are some thoughts on the scope for anyone trying to decide if this is for them:-Telescope is made up of several different segments that screw together. This is the one downside of using it as a toy because my son keeps taking it apart and then can't get it back together on his own. It's just a matter of time until he loses a piece. I'll glue the pieces together and then it will be perfect!-There is almost no visible difference when you look at an object through the telescope vs. with the naked eye. I think it magnifies things a tiny bit, but that's all. This is a toy or a prop, NOT a working telescope.-The lens on the larger end of the telescope is glass, but I'm not certain the one on the smaller end (where you put your eye) is made of glass, I suspect it might actually be plastic. It is just glued onto the inside of the eyepiece, and there is a smudge of glue on the surface of the lens that mars what little magnification this telescope might achieve.-The fake leather does have a slight chemical smell to it, but not offensively strong as some reviewers suggested.- This is a small scope. The 6 in measurement given in the description is when the item is fully extended. It fits nicely in the palm of my hand. Perfect size for a small child.-The wooden box the scope comes in seems to be very nice. It is sturdy and looks great. My kids use it as their pirate treasure chest. The box may be the highest quality part of the set. It is lined with felt, both inside the box itself and in the underside of the lid.This is a great TOY, one that will provide hours of fun for your little pirate.