Sextants, compasses, and other instruments for early navigation and exploration, suitable for AD1500-1900.
Image Description Selection
Item 64 A Dutch-type sextant with a decorative figure in the centre: height 12.5", 32cm, with a box-wood quadrant, radius 7", 18cm. 64
Item 65 Two traverse-boards, of painted wood, with pegs held by strings: overall height 16.5", 42cm, diameter of circle 9", 23cm. 65
Item 66 A brass reflecting-type telescope on a table or desk stand: tube 17", 43cm long, overall height the same. 66
Item 68 A blackened brass sextant: height 9.5", 24cm, and 11", 28cm across. 68
Item 75 An ordinary late 19th century brass sextant, the '3 ring' type: height 8.5", 21.5cm, maximum width 10", 25.5cm. 75
Item 76 Another brass sextant, mid 19th century: height 8.5", 21.5cm, width 10", 25cm. 76
Item 77 An early 19th century-type octant, of ebony with brass fittings: height 11.5", 29cm, width 10", 25.5cm. 77
Item 80 The mariners astrolabe, together with a brass Persian-style planispheric astrolabe: 6", 15cm diameter. 80
Item 81 A brass mariners astrolabe. Our version was copied from an original found in a Spanish treasure galleon, which was dated 1624. It is so well made that it works just as well as the original: diameter ... 81
Item 218 A classic cross-staff, the essential 16th and 17th navigation instrument, coming after the mariner's astrolabe but before the sextant. Length of central baton 80cm, 31.5". ... 218
Item 284 A selection of small navigational instruments for scattering on a sea-chart. 284
Item 370 A 17th or early 18th century-style compass with hand-coloured card, gimballed, in a square mahogany dove-tailed box, 370
Item 371 A well-made 1750-60's style mahogany quadrant with a boxwood scale, so accurately engraved that it works: overall height 24", 61cm. 371
Item 372 A very well-made 1770's-1780's style mahogany-framed quadrant, with brass index arm and a bone scale, divided and engraved so well that it works. Overall height 18", 46cm. 372
Item 425 A very large 19th century teak ship's wheel with brass trim and centre boss, from S.V. Endymion (1875): overall diameter 7 feet, 213.5cm. 425
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