Antiques
Of A
Mechanical Nature
 
Larry and Carole Meeker
Purveyors of American Patented & Mechanical Antiques

           

     www.patented-antiques.com
                 LCM@patented-antiques.com


           530-620-7019 phone

 

 

A Selection of American Surveying Instruments

Antique Transits & Compasses  

 

Stackpole Surveyors / Engineers Transit This transit  is in good condition. Stackpole & Brother was a relatively early New York surveying instrument maker and began operations in the mid 1800's.   The box as shown shown in the pics is pretty nice as well.  The Smithsonian site has a bio on the brothers who formed the company, and they have several of their instruments in their collection.  Note the positioning of the tangent lock.  The bubbles are all good.  The compass is nice and the needle swings freely.  The company name and location are on the compass face under the glass and pictured below.  The optics are clear, and the crosshairs (3h & 1v) are good.  Stackpole produced a quality product and this transit is no exception.   The green lacquer finish is 90% or better and looks great  Those area that were not lacquered have a nice even patina. 

See below for some of the info from the Smithsonian site.

Click for Pic      Click for Pic     Click for Pic      Click for Pic      Click for Pic      Click for Pic    Click for Pic      Click for Pic     Click for Pic

AH-Stran-1

Good+ ........$975.00    

Order Now

Stackpole

William Stackpole (1819–1895) and Robert Stackpole (1823–1873) were Irish immigrants who arrived in the United States in 1833. Trading as Stackpole & Brother, they began making mathematical instruments in 1851. During the Civil War, they made spyglasses and sextants for the Navy. Each Stackpole instrument is marked with a serial number, and the sale of instrument #655 in 1866 suggests that the firm averaged some 44 instruments per year. According to the 1870 Census of Industry, the Stackpoles had $12,000 invested in the firm, hired eleven men and two children, and were then producing 250 surveying and nautical instruments worth $26,900. In the early 1870s they made astronomical transit instruments for the American expeditions sent to observe the transit of Venus. The firm remained in business until 1910.

 

 

W. & L. E. Gurley Surveyor's Transit  Gurley is the most famous and widely respected maker of surveying instruments in America.  Their transits and other surveying instruments are well know for the their quality and dependability.  

The serial # 580732  indicates this transit was made in 1958. This instrument has the patented Gurley One Piece Truss Standard made of aluminum alloy as is most of the rest of the transit. This unique design one piece standard gives superior stability and durability. There are some brass plates and parts as well.

The level bubbles / vials are all good, the compass needles swings freely as it should.  All motions are free, and the optics good.   Included is the case with a brass plumb (not Gurley), a K&E reading glass, a screwdriver and the oil bottle. The sun shade is here but no lens cap.  It is fully functional and is a good solid user.     Click for Pic         Click for Pic          Click for Pic

JZ-g-transit-1

Good+ ........$575.00 

Note:  A good condition collapsible leg tripod is available and an additional  $175.00

Order Now

 

 

B. L. Makepeace Loxo Combination Transit / Level This small combination Transit / Level was patented in 1912 and offered for sale after that. The Makepiece company is still in business and has an long and interesting history that began in the 1890's.  That info can be found at this link.  http://files.blmakepeace.com/History/history.htm  The company began in the blueprint and paper end of the business, expanded to offer a line of K & E products, and then just after the turn of the century Mr. Makepeace began offering his own line and design of surveying instruments including this style instrument.   

This combination level transit has seen little use and is in excellent condition.  The box is very nice, and the label inside the lid is very good as well.  The optics are clear, and the crosshairs present.  The level vial is full and all motions turn freely.  The bronzed lacquer finish is near flawless.   There is no tripod.   This instrument will make a nice addition to the collection to round out all the types and styles of instruments that were made and offered or would make for a good user around the property or building site.  It will display very nicely.

Click for Pic      Click for Pic     Click for Pic     Click for Pic    Click for Pic      Click for Pic     Click for Pic     Click for Pic

dm-tran-1

EXC. ........$295.00    

Order Now

 

 

Keuffel & Esser Engineers or Architects Survey Transit  This is a nice looking transit that dates from the 1920's according to the serial number found on the compass face.  There are earlier patent dates from the 1890's on the outer brass ring.  The 3 level bubbles are all clear and look original.  The optics are crisp and there is a single cross for crosshairs.  The scope measures approx 12" and the mounting ring for the tripod is about 3 5/8 ".   The overall condition of this transit is very nice, and it has aged to a nice 2 tone brownish brass patina that close to 100 years age provides.  It has the original box which someone has painted in the past (see pics). 

Architects or engineers style transits typically had 10-12" scopes.  The half vertical circle measures 4 1/2" and is graduated to 30 degrees or 1 minute to either side.  The compass face is 6" and the needle measures just over 4".   It is operable.  The vernier under the small windows is set up the same 30 degrees to either side.   All motions are pretty smooth and operate correctly.   This transit will display nicely, or would make a good user. 

   Click for Pic         Click for Pic          Click for Pic         Click for Pic         Click for Pic       Click for Pic         Click for Pic          Click for Pic         Click for Pic       

RP-KE-1

Good+ ............$895.00    

Order Now

 

 

A. Lietz of San Francisco Aluminum Transit w/ Solar Attachment Point  This unusual A. Lietz transit has two features going for it that make it a hard to find and relatively rare instrument.   The first being that it is made entirely from Aluminum which was a special order feature that Lietz offered as an upgrade from the standard brass instruments usually found.  They offered this feature since their inception back in the 1890's, but this piece dates from a bit after that. Lietz was famous from their inception for producing instruments in Aluminum as a special order but for various reasons they did not catch on nor were they widely produced.  The difference in weight from a standard Brass instrument is readily apparent when lifting it.   

Secondly this engineers transit has a provision to accept a solar attachment at the top of the scope.   Transits set up to take an Auxiliary Scopes for either mining related work or as a solar transit are very unusual and basically used in only one or two specific applications.  Solar attachments were first introduced by Burt, but Lietz designed their version after the Saegmuller type that was similar in design to the ones K & E used.   They were a small telescope affair as opposed to the Burt Style which generally resembles and acts like a sextant / octant that was adopted and used by Gurley. 

This style and form of transit were not widely distributed and thus quite rare.  It has the proper box, and the cosmetic condition of the instrument and compass are nice.  There is a problem though with the lock ring for the lower motion, and part of the ring there has broken off.  Aluminum from this period was not as soft or pliable as brass and was more brittle and prone to this sort of thing.  It looks good, but this defect will make it not suitable for use.    Click for Pic         Click for Pic          Click for Pic         Click for Pic         Click for Pic     Click for Pic     

CLM-svt-1

Good+ ........$595.00 

Order Now

 

Transit / Level This small combination Transit / Level is in good condition. It is a precision but simple instrument that was offered for general layouts and lines by large concerns like Sears,  Montgomery Wards or other outfits that sold surveying instruments for general use.  This style of surveying instrument are sometimes referred to as Farm levels or transits.   This one is unmarked as to maker.  I would estimate it dates from the 40's or so.  As can be seen half of the box is present.  There is no tripod.   It will make for a good general user, or a nice display piece on the shelf.      Click for Pic     

ME-tran-1

Good+ ........$100.00    

Order Now

 

Craftsman Transit / Level  This small combination Transit / Level is in good condition. It is a simple style of instrument that was offered for general layouts and lines by large concerns like Sears,  Montgomery Wards or other outfits that sold surveying instruments for general use.  It vhas a sticker identifying it as being sold by Sears.   I would estimate it dates from the 40's or so.   It will make for a good general user, or a nice display piece on the shelf.      Click for Pic      Click for Pic

ML-tran-1

Good+ ........$75.00    

Order Now

   

Here is a link to a site that can help you date your instrument if you are looking for that info.

 http://www.surveyhistory.org/how_old_is_my_instrument.htm

http://www.surveyhistory.org/how_old_is_my_david_white.htm

 

 

We want to help you sell your quality Antiques in this Category. 

If you have a collection of similar antiques and want further info please see our FAQ page, the Appraisal / Selling Page and the Selling Your Collection Pages for further info.

BACK