A
Selection of American Surveying Instruments
Antique Transits & Compasses
Keuffel
& Esser Paragon #5081 1/2 C Mining Transit w/ Auxiliary Scope This
is a super nice Keuffel & Esser Paragon Mining transit. The # 5081 1/2
C is
designated as a mining transit, and it is specially designed to accept a
secondary scope that mounts either to the top of the main scope or to the outboard
side as shown in the pics. Mining transits with these secondary scopes are very unusual and hard to come by.
This mining transits serial # is 133021 indicating it was made in
the 50's. The black matt finish is near perfect. It shows little
signs of use and just a few minor box scuffs at high points to the finish. The
optics are crisp and clear. The fitted box is nice as well, and set up to
accept the auxiliary scope and weight you see.
The main scope is 10" long and has a 20 power
magnification. The horizontal limb is 5 1/2" and graduated to half
degrees. It has double vernier windows set to 30 degrees that read to a minute.
The compass needle is approx 3 1/2" and is gold plated. It functions
properly. All motions are free and turn smoothly. The rear eyepiece
focus works well.. The 4 1/2" vertical circle is
graduated on silver and also reads to a minute.
The auxiliary scope is 6 5/8" long
and 14 power. It is designed to mount either to the top of the scope or
just outside the standards on the side.
Mining transits were used in situations
where the operator had to shoot down vertical shafts or odd angles and the
horizontal plate would interfere. When mounted on either the top or side
it projected past the plate to allow the user to shoot that line. Different manufacturers used different
approaches to solve the problem, and K & E used the two point attachment system
with counterweight which allowed for different setups in different situations.
Others include the Buff version where the scope could be released and moved
into another position. There is also a version with a leaning frame to
allow for the same effect.
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BM-KEMT-1
Excellent
........$3950.00
Note: A good condition collapsible leg tripod is
available and an additional $150.00
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Keuffel
& Esser Paragon Model # 74-0000 Engineers Transit
This Keuffel & Esser Paragon transit is a beautiful
piece of engineering from the end of an era in the US. K & E's Paragon
transits were one of the last American made transits that were offered for sale
in the United States, and this is one of the last of those. The Keuffel &
Esser Co. had had a long and notable run in the industry beginning as far back
as the 1860's.
This particular instrument has a additional history and
provenance that sets it apart from standard K & E Paragon transits you
might find. This Paragon transit was never sold by K & E and was
originally used as an executive sales demonstrator until it was presented to
the last acting president of the company Gary Wrench, in 1982.
Included is its Rosewood Laminate carrying case, and a NOS collapsible leg
transit that were given to the last president in appreciation for his services
in the early 80's. It has been on display for the last 25 or so years in
Mr. Wrenches home and office.
The transit itself stands about 14" tall and it has a 12" scope. The
4 1'2" verticle circle / vernier is engraved on silver to 1 minute. The
optics are clear and crisp. The crosshairs present. The compass
works as it should and the serial number of 234,304 is on a label under the
glass. It has a 4" gold plated needle. A fine instrument in superb
condition that marks the end of an era and an American icon, the Keuffel &
Esser Company.
Gary Wrench, the past president mentioned above, and to whom this transit was
presented has written a short story about the transit and his time at the
company, and that can be found
here.
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GW-KEPT-1
Excellent
........$1295.00
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William Stackpole
Surveyors / Engineers Transit
This surveyor's 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 in the pics is pretty nice as well.
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. Note the positioning of the tangent lock. The green lacquer finish is 90% or
better and looks great Those area that were not lacquered have a nice even
patina.
The Smithsonian site has a bio on the brothers who formed the company, and they
have several of their instruments in their collection.
See below for some of the info from the Smithsonian site.
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AH-Stran-1
Good+
........$975.00
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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.
Hildebrand
Freiberg
Surveyors / Engineers Theodolite / Transit
This
precision Theodolite is by Hilderberg Freiberg a well know and respected
optical instrument maker that was begun in the 18th century in Germany as
Freiberg and evolved and changed names over a period of time to what it is now.
You can visit their present website here.
The name Hilderberg became associated with the company in 1872 and Hilderberg
Freiberg company was in operation until the Russians took control of the plant
at the end of WWII. The only place this precision instrument is
marked with the company name is on the handle of the case.
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stylized logo & number on the instrument itself which probably would help date
it for those with access to that info.
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This instrument dates from somewhere near the turn of
the century up to the time of WWII when the Russians took over the plant..
It is interesting to note the Japanese writing on the outside of the case and
the "military" colored tan finish of the tripod would lead one to believe it was
sold to the Japanese military prior to WWII.
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The instrument itself is in great condition and is as complete as one could
imagine or hope for. All of the level bubbles are good.
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the internal carry case / tray are full.
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this instrument was designed to be locked into the case on the base to withstand
all sorts of travel and abuse.
All of the tiny magnifiers over the vernier are present.
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level,
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small wind up tape in feet / metric with Japanese writing. The tripod is
nice, proper, and the instrument has the proper 3 point leveling base for it.
There are also additional parts and pieces stored on the door, like an extra
eyepiece, sunshade, and right angle eyepiece.
The optics are clear and the cross hairs present. It is a very nice
looking and graphic instrument to add to several different focus collections.
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GM-THEO-1
Good+
........$1750.00
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Buff
& Berger Light Mountain Transit The
partnership of Buff & Berger was formed in 1871. They were located in
Boston, and were in business until 1898 when the partnership was dissolved and
each party went off on their own to form new instrument making companies. Berger
went into business with his sons, as Berger & Sons, and Buff did the
same starting the new company of Buff & Buff. There are Bios
for both companies from
Smarts reference book on these companies that can be found at the Smithsonian
site if interested.
This is a nice looking transit with a 9" scope which according to the catalog I
have would make it a #2 size transit. I imagine from the serial number of
175 that this transit was made during the first few years of the companies
formation in the 1870's.
The center yoke piece is made of a white bronze or brass and has a great
contrasting look
with the rest of the instruments patina contrasting that color. All of
the bubbles are good, and the compass functions. All the motions are free
and turn properly. The rear lens adjustment is tight and needs a lube to
focus the crosshairs easier, but they are there.
A great size and very nice looking instrument from a maker better known for
their larger instruments. It will display very nicely.
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LM-BUBGT-1
Good+
........$995.00
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Buff
& Buff Expedition Size Transit After the
partnership of Buff & Berger was dissolved in 1898 each partner went off on
their own to form new instrument making companies with Berger going into
business with his sons, as Berger & Sons, and Buff doing the same starting
the new company of Buff & Buff with his sons.
This is a nice looking transit with a 8" scope which I believe would make it an
expedition size transit . The serial number is 10,616, and
I am not sure how Buff & Buff went about numbering their instruments after the
breakup of the partnership. Berger just picked up where the two had left
off, and from the look of this transit and figuring Buff did the same I would
think this transit dates from near the turn of the century and before the
1920's.
All of the bubbles are good, and the compass functions. All the motions
are free and turn properly. The crosshairs are present. The serial
number on the base is the same as the instruments.
It has a 4" silver vertical circle scaled to read to a minute.
A great size transit and very nice looking instrument that will display very
nicely.
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CYN-BUBUT-1
Good+
........$1250.00
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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 and was the 732 instrument made that year. 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 was said gives superior stability and durability
over earlier A frame standards . 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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JZ-g-transit-1
Good
+
........$575.00
SOLD!
Note: A good condition collapsible leg tripod is
available and an additional $150.00
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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.
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CLM-svt-1
Good+
........$595.00
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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
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further info.
BACK
Dating Your Instrument
Here is a link to a site that can help
you date your Transit / Level or other 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
Keuffel
& Esser Paragon #5081 1/2 C Mining Transit w/ Auxiliary Scope This
is a super nice Keuffel & Esser Paragon Mining transit. The # 5081 1/2
C is
designated as a mining transit, and it is specially designed to accept a
secondary scope that mounts either to the top of the main scope or to the outboard
side as shown in the pics. Mining transits with these secondary scopes are very unusual and hard to come by.
properly. All motions are free and turn smoothly. The rear eyepiece
focus works well.. The 4 1/2" vertical circle is
graduated on silver and also reads to a minute. 
