Accession No

3194

Brief Description

American transit, by Benjamin Pike and Sons, U.S.A., 1860 (c)

Origin

U.S.A.; New York; 518 Broadway

Maker

Benjamin Pike and Sons

Class

surveying

Earliest Date

1860

Latest Date

1860

Inscription Date

Material

metal (oxidised brass, brass, white metal, steel); wood; glass

Dimensions

overall height 337mm; length of telescope 259mm; diameter of horizontal circle 155mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from The Antiquarian Scientist, Draut, Mass., USA, 01/1985.

Inscription

‘B. Pike & Sons 518 Bdway. N.Y.’ (compass face)

Description Notes

Brass and oxidised brass american transit. 4 brass levelling feet; screw socket for attachment to tripod. Horizontal circle carries compass with 8-point compass rose and silvered scale divided 0 - 180˚ - 0, numbered by 10˚, graduated to 1˚; vernier allows division to 1´. Two small glazed apertures for viewing Vernier and outer scale (same as that in compass). Clamp and slow motion screws for the instrument, and for the horizontal circle; bubble level on the circle and on the A frame. Transit telescope on wide axis; vertical circle at one end of the axis divided 0 - 90˚ - 0 - 90˚ - 0, numbered by 10˚, graduated to 1˚, vernier gives measurement to 2´. Clamp and slow motion screws on telescope and long bubble level above; rack and pinion focus moving the objective; cross hairs; screw-fit eyepiece with sliding rayshade.
Fitted wooden box.

Condition good; complete

References

Events