Surveyors and the instruments they used played
an important part in the development and history of
America. Dividing up the land and determining passages and routes
across
the land were important to the growth and development
of this country. From the earliest Colonial times
surveying the land and determining how to get from point
A to point B and beyond, and who owned what, was of vital concern.
The earliest instruments used for surveying prior to the development
of compasses included devices such as circumferentors, quadrants and sextants
whose origins and use are most commonly associated with maritime
navigation. The need for more precision as well as portability led
to design changes and improvements in the known designs for
instruments used on land. What generally became known as survey
compasses became the standard for day to day use by surveyors here in America.
The earliest American examples were made of either brass or primitive
wooden bodied surveying compasses. 18th century
instruments dating from the colonial era occasionally turn up but are very rare.
Different forms or designations of surveying compasses include Plain and Vernier compasses, Railroad compasses, Mining compasses,
and Solar compasses. Each of these different styles of compasses
had features allowing them to perform specific tasks or functions, and were used to accomplish different tasks as their name implies.
More complex and job specific compasses such
as mining compasses and transits came with provisions for
auxiliary \ scopes to allow for shooting over the plate and for determining angles.
(See example to right) Solar Instruments were developed in order to allow
the operator or surveyor to better determine his location by using the sun
and horizon as reference points. These were especially useful in
areas where the magnetic deviation affected the needle compass bearing. Different variations on these themes
were developed
and each company or maker offered their own unique version.
These later job specific Surveying instruments
were offered by manufactures like William Young, Gurley, and Keuffel & Esser,
Buff, Berger, Warren & Knight, Lietz, Dietzgen, Sala, and many others. These well known
names represent the larger makers but many examples by smaller makers are
known as well.
To see vintage surveying instruments by well known makers such
as Gurley, Thaxter,
Queen, Lietz, Dietzgen, Keuffel & Esser, Buff, Berger, Heller
& Brightly and a host of others that I have sold in the past,
here is a link to the
Surveying Instrument
Past Sales Archive Page on our
informational sister site
www.AntiqBuyer.com.
- K & E / Keuffel & Esser c. 1919 # 5074 Engineers Mountain & Mining Transit
- 1880s W. & L. E. Gurley Aluminum Solar Compass
* * * Click
Page Titles Below to see Items * * *
- Selection of Surveying Instrument Catalogs
- 6" Ivory Sector / Scale / Rule
- Stanley / London 6" Ivory Protractor / Scale / Rule
* * * Click
Title ABOVE to see Additional Items * * *
- 1893 A. Lietz San Francisco Instrument Catalog $275.00
- 1908 Berger Catalog $195.00
- 1910 Dietzgen Catalog $95.00
- 1955 Dietzgen Catalog $30.00
Here is a link to a website that can help you
date your surveying instrument if you are looking for that info.
https://www.surveyhistory.org/how_old_is_my_instrument.htm
* * * * We Buy & Sell Antiques! * * * *
If you have a single antique, or a collection of antiques to sell
please Contact Patented-Antiques.com at patentedantiques@gmail.com giving us your
PHONE NUMBER
and other contact info
and we will get back to you ASAP.
To view examples of the types of antiques and collectibles we have previously
sold and are always interested in helping you sell please visit our
Past
Sales Archive Pages at our sister website
www.AntiqBuyer.com.
Thanks!!
Larry & Carole
