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Of A Mechanical Nature |
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A
Selection of American Surveying Instruments
Antique Transits & Compasses
See below for some of the info from the Smithsonian site.
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Good+ ........$975.00
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.
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Good+
........$575.00
Note: A good condition collapsible leg tripod is available and an additional $175.00
B.
L. Makepeace Loxo Combination Transit / Level
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.
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EXC.
........$295.00
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.
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RP-KE-1 Good+
............$895.00
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.
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........$595.00
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.
Good+ ........$100.00
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.
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Good+ ........$75.00
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
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