Regardless of age, it's a lovely artifact. I'd probably call it a telescope, rather than a monocular, since it doesn't appear to have any prisms. Any markings on it? I'd have expected the maker to engrave their name somewhere.
ETA: The rope trim suggests naval, rather than army use. Do you know where your ancestor served? Also, I assume the image is upright*, is that correct?
*As opposed to inverted as in an astronomical 'scope.
Last edited by Trebuchet; 2018-May-20 at 02:13 PM.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt.