Accession No
2708
Brief Description
waywiser, perambulator or hodometer, by George Adams, English, c. 1775
Origin
England; London; Fleet Street
Maker
Adams, George
Class
surveying
Earliest Date
1775
Latest Date
1775
Inscription Date
Material
metal (iron, silver, brass); wood (mahogany); glass
Dimensions
height 1370mm; breadth 355mm; diameter of wheel 798mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Christie’s, South Kensington, London, England; lot 185, 8/1/1981.
Inscription
‘G. ADAMS INST, MAKER to HIS MAJESTY
FLEET STREET LONDON
The ROMAN Figures are MILES
The Subdivisions between them are FURLONGS
The Next Circle are POLES
The Next Circle are YARDS.
The outermost circle are CHAINS and LINKS
Note 8 FURLONGS 1 MILE
40 POLES or 220 YARDS or 10 CHAINS 1 FURLONG
4 POLES or 100 LINKS 1 CHAIN
16 1/2 FEET or 5 1/2 YARDS 1POLE 7 92/100 INCHES 1 LINK.’
Description Notes
Six spoked iron shod mahogany wheel with mahogany handle. Spokes rectangular with bevelled edges. Geared drive from the axle encased in forks to dial. Glazed cover hinged with clip fastening. Silvered dial graduated: outer circle: 0-1000 chains and links by 10 to 2; next: 0-220 yards by 10 to 1; next: 0-40 poles by 1 to 1/5; next: 0-XII miles by I to 1/8. Brass plate with engraving. Iron pointer. Short one for miles scale, long one for other scales. Double bow handle.
References
Events
Description
Extract discussing the waywiser, from George Adams’s Geometrical and graphical essays (London, 1803):
“This instrument is very useful for measuring roads, commons, and every thing where expedition is required; one objection is however made to it, namely, that it gives a measure somewhat too long by entering into hollows, and going over small hills. This is certainly the case; the measuring wheel is not an infallible mode of ascertaining the horizontal distance between any two places; but then it may with propriety be asked whether any other method is less fallible? whether upon the whole, and in the circumstances to which the measunig wheel is usually appropriated, the chain is not equally uncertain, and the measure obtained from it as liable to error, as that from the wheel.”
31/08/2006
Created by: updated by Ruth Horry on 31/08/2006
FM:43021
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