West Sea Company

NAUTICAL INSTRUMENTS

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3.27  SHIP’s INCLINOMETER.  Scarce, very high quality all brass ship’s pilothouse inclinometer of  German manufacture.  This precision instrument features a white enamel dial prominently marked “CLINOMETER , Oil Damping.” while at the bottom it bears the logo “GEHNA Made In Germany.”  The dial is protected by a convex glass crystal which is perfect.   This genuine ship’s instrument is in virtually pristine original condition and operates as designed.  It measures 6 1/8 inches in diameter.  A very nice, functional instrument for the money.  Try to buy one new at this price!  169

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3.35   EARLY SHIP’s WATCH GLASS.  Very rare, first half of the 19th century genuine sailing ship’s sand timer of  ½ hour duration made even rarer by the fact that it still retains its original maker’s label!  The green shield-shaped label is signed in fancy script “W. LOWE, Optician & SPECTACLE MAKER, 18 Upper Islington, LONDON, NW.”  This classic watch timer has disc ends made of oak inscribed with concentric lines and decoratively-turned oak columns.  The single piece hand-blown glass flask has two bulbs containing orange-brown sand.  Indicative of its early manufacture, the bulb on the opposite end has a small cloth-covered plug through which the sand was originally introduced.  The glass is encircled by concentric layers of thin oak veneer, which serve to protect and strengthen the bulbs on each end.  6 inches high and 3 ¼ inches in diameter.  The condition is outstanding and original with nice old surfaces.  The sand flows smoothly without interruption and the timer is surprisingly accurate.  795 Gloria Clifton, in “Dictionary of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550 – 1851,” 1995, Philip Wilson Publishers, Ltd. London, lists Lowe as an optician and spectacle maker in London from 1835 – 1842.  He is also noted as having been a “Philosophical and Mathematical Instrument Maker” in addition to being an optician, verifying the fact that he did in fact manufacture other instruments such as this navigational timer. The exact origins of sand timers are unclear, although they are generally attributed to the Arab world.   From ancient times the passage of water was used as a measurement of time in "water clocks."  As a follow-on, the "fluid dynamics" of flowing sand was seen to be similar. "By the Middle Ages the sand-glass came into its own and, fragile though it was, this was the first clock which the men who made the great voyages of discovery took with them."  (Jean Randier, "Nautical Antiques for the Collector, 1977, Doubleday & Co., New York, page 96).  "Dating old sand glasses can be difficult, but the color or tint of the bulbs is a help.  The glass was greenish up to about 1700.  During the 18th century it was darker; then in the 19th century it gradually acquired the transparency of crystal.  There were also variations in the actual sand which, prior to about 1720, was reddish or orange-red in color.  After about 1720, white or green sand was increasingly used."  (Alan Major, "Marine Antiques," 1981, A.S. Barnes & Co., New York, pages 178-179.) In the early days of sail ship's personnel stood watch on deck for a period of 4 hours marked by 8 half hour intervals.  Before the advent of reliable mechanical timekeepers, it was the duty of the boatswain mate of the watch or the helmsman to monitor the ship's "watch glass" and announce each of its half hour passages with a successive stroke of the helm bell, one through 8.  To this day "ship's bell" clocks mimic this ancient seafaring tradition.

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3.32   EARLY AMERICAN COMPASS.   Virtually pristine early American hand-held compass made by the legendary American makers “S (Samuel) Thaxter & Son, Boston,” as signed around the pivot of the card.  The beautifully-engraved paper card is marked down to 1/2 points with the cardinal and intercardinal points identified and North designated by a classic fleur-de-lis.  The body of the compass is solid brass along with its original press-fit cover.  The diameter is 3 ½ inches and it is just over 1 ½ inches thick.  Unbelievably superb original condition for being over 150 years old!  449 Samuel Thaxter was born in 1769. In 1792 he began business as a nautical instrument maker and chandler at 1 Long Wharf, Boston.  In 1822 he took his son, Joseph H., into the business and it became Samuel Thaxter & Son.  The business continued under that name well into the 20th century under a number of successive proprietors.  However the early form of this dry card compass and the fact that it is only marked in points and not degrees, indicates an early origin. Accordingly, it easily dates prior to 1850.

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3.38  MARINER’s SEXTANT.   Finest quality late 19th century English navigational sextant attributed to Heath & Company, London.  This Class “A” instrument features an all brass lattice frame in its original blackened oxidized finish.  The inlaid silver scale on the large arc reads from  -5 to 155 degrees effectively making it a quintant.  The precisely calibrated scale indicates single degrees, marked in 10’s,  divided down to 10 arc minutes.  The silver vernier on the index arm, reading right to left 0 – 10 allows for a reading down to 10 arc seconds.  This is accomplished by a positive knurled thumb screw stop and a knurled fine adjust knob.  To aid in taking the reading a high quality pivoting  magnifier with focusing feature and frosted glass light diffuser is supplied.  This sextant is complete with both adjustable mirror boxes and a full set of 4 index filters and 3 horizon filters.  A height adjustable sight tube holder is provided, raised and lowered by a knurled thumbscrew on the back.  The back also features 3 support “feet” for mounting in the box and a lovely sculpted rosewood handle for holding the instrument while taking a sighting.  This instrument comes complete in its original hand-dovetailed mahogany box with a full compliment of attachments!  They include 3 telescopes, a peep sight, a spare eye piece, 2 eyepiece sun filters, mirror box adjusting tool and the original skeleton key with box lock.  The green felt-lined box, complete with heavy brass carrying handle, both hook and eye closures and inlaid shield on the lid,  is in excellent original condition.  Of great historical interest and added value is the fact that an original old label is attached to the bottom of the box.  It reads, “Cunard White Star T Tourist Class.”  The sextant itself measures 9 ½ inches long on the index arm and 10 wide on the large arc.  The box measures 10 by 10 ¾ by 5 inches thick.  The entire presentation is in a remarkable state of original preservation.

BOX	BOX DETAIL	LABEL	IN BOX

SEXTANT	DETAIL

3.31  AMERICAN YACHT LOG.   Second half of the 1800’s taffrail log made by “JOHN BLISS & CO. TAFFRAIL – LOG – NEW YORK U.S.A.” as marked on the porcelain register.  This virtually pristine example features a porcelain dial housed within a cylindrical solid brass body with glazed zinc cover.  The side of the cover is cast in relief on both sides, “BLISS. NEW YORK, U.S.A.”  The register itself contains three dials internally linked by reducing gears to the spinner.  The uppermost indicator is calibrated in tenths of nautical miles.  The middle register records whole miles, 0 – 10, and the lower register indicates 10 of miles from 0 – 100.  Accordingly, this “nautical odometer” can record distances traveled through the water from one tenth of a mile to more than 110 miles.  This is accomplished by the taffrail spinner otherwise known as the “fish” which trails the log under water and rotates by means of its curved fins as the vessel makes way.  The fish is finely balanced using small cuts in the anterior fins, one of which is impressed “BLISS.”  A substantial pivoting brass yoke with eye is provided for attaching the log by the cotton line to the vessel.   The entire presentation is in a remarkable state of restored preservation, functional, with bright brass surfaces.  The log itself measures 10 ½ inches long and the spinner is 9 ½ inches long by 4 inches wide.  Included in this offering is the original cotton line which is several fathoms long.  595

REGISTER	REGISTER DETAIL	MAKER	REVERSE

SPINNER	SPINNER DETAIL

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3.26  CASED OCTANT.   Fine, circa 1830’s English navigator’s octant with limbs of ebony and scales of ivory.   The large arc is calibrated in single degrees from -4 to 104 subdivided to 20 arc minutes, effectively making it a "quadrant."  A blank ivory “maker’s plate” is inlaid in the cross brace.   The flat brass index arm 12 inches long has a single thumb screw stop without a fine adjust tangent screw.  The ivory vernier scale with “0” on the right allows a reading down to a single arc minute.  This octant is complete with its single peep sight, index mirror, full set of 3 sunshades and split image horizon mirror.   The back has three turned brass “feet” for mounting in the box.  To those ends it is complete with the original mahogany “keystone” box with brass hinges, brass lock with inset skeleton key escutcheon and 2 hook and eye closures.  The instrument measures 10 inches across the large arc.  The box measures 12 ½ inches long, 11 ¾ inches wide and 4 inches thick.  This octant is in a truly remarkable state of original preservation.  The scales are crisp and bright, and all brass surfaces are clean and sharp with absolutely no signs of cleaning or restoration.  The box too is in lovely original condition in its original finish.  There are the usual age cracks in the wood and a couple of minor chips.  But as these early instrument go, this box rates as a 9 on a scale of 10.  A fine addition to any discriminating collection.   A number of the features of this instrument are telling of its age.  The flat brass index arm without a brace is a trait that dates back to the 1780’s.  The lack of a fine adjust tangent screw is also a characteristic of octants and quadrants from the 1700’s.  Finally, the fact that this instrument has a single peep sight with no provision for optical attachments is another aspect which harkens back to the earliest such devices.

PERSPECTIVE	BOX	IN BOX

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DETAIL 2	SUPER DETAIL

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3.23   PILOT HOUSE INCLINOMETER.  World War II vintage merchant marine ship’s pilot house clinometer made of Bakelite, glass and brass.  It is marked in the middle, CLINOMETER U.S. MARITIME COMMISSION MK IV 1944 JOHN L. CHANEY INSTR. CO. LAKE GENEVA, WISC. U.S.A. PATENT DESIGN This clever navigational device was used to measure the ship’s heel from 0 - 70 degrees port and starboard.  To accomplish this a glass tube filled with liquid and a weighted ball acts much like a turn and bank indicator on a airplane.  The liquid “damps” the travel of the ball, giving a more consistent reading.  The instrument measures 12 ½ inches wide by 6 ½ inches tall and has two mounting holes in the face for attachment to the bulkhead.  Excellent original cosmetic condition and fully functional.  325

MAKER	BACK

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3.21  CLINOMETER.  Genuine, mid-century ocean-going ship’s pilot house inclinometer made of solid brass and affixed to a wooden backboard.  This handsome unit features a heavy weighted brass pendulum bob which indicates the ship’s degree of heel, port and starboard from 0 to 40, calibrated in single degree increments.  It is boldly marked “CLINOMETER” in red at the top and is signed “Jin Hang Marine Equipment Co.” across the face.  9 ½ inches wide by 7 ¾ inches tall.  Excellent original condition showing good signs of actual use.  A scarce navigational instrument of which there are typically only one per ship.  179

MAKER	BACK

3.20  BRASS OCTANT.  Scarce, first half of the 1800’s English navigational octant made by the noted maker (John) “Crichton, London” as engraved on the large arc.  This precision marine instrument is made entirely of brass with an inlaid silver scale beautifully calibrated from -5 degrees to 120 degrees of arc in 20 arc minute increments.  The maximum travel of the index arm is limited to just 103 degrees, effectively making this instrument a quadrant of  90 degrees – or in more contemporary terms at that time – an “octant.”  Of handsome form, this all brass instrument has 9 ¾ inch index arm with a silver vernier scale calibrated from 0 to 20 single arc minutes, providing a very accurate reading for such a compact instrument.  To take the reading an adjustable, pivoting magnifier is provided on the index arm.  The arm is provided with a knurled thumbscrew stop and another fine adjust tangent knob.  This instrument is complete with both its mirrors, full set of 4 index filters and 3 horizon filters.  On the back are three brass “feet” for support in the carrying box, and the classic sculpted rosewood handle.  All of this fits neatly into the fine mahogany box, typical of the early 1800’s manufacture.    This classic “keystone” box is of hand-dovetailed construction and measures 11 inches tall by 11 ¼ inches wide and 5 ¼ inches thick.  The original brass skeleton key lock is present. The entire presentation is in outstanding original condition.  The box is complete with all optical and peep sight attachments, along with the mirror box adjusting tool and eyepiece filter.   The lid bears the original label of a Paris chandler as well as the remnants of another label.  Interestingly, some original observations taken by this sextant are penned on the label!   This is a beautiful example of an early 1800’s English octant.   1895 John Crichton began his business as an optical, philosophical, mathematical and nautical instrument maker at 32 Fore Street, Limehouse, London in 1831.  He moved to 112 Leadenhall Street in 1834 where he remained in business until 1865.  Crichton was apprenticed to the well known early sextant maker Benjamin Messer.  Among the items Crichton was known to produce were barometers, compasses, sextants, telescopes, artificial horizons, microscopes and thermometers. (Gloria Clifton, “Dictionary of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851,” 1991, The National Maritime Museum, London).  We have had other fine quality instruments with the “Crichton” signature.

CASE	IN CASE	OCTANT

BACK	SIGNATURE

3.19  RARE 18th CENTURY SEXTANT BY THE INVENTOR.  Magnificent, very early English navigational sextant of the finest quality made by “Troughton, London” as engraved on the large arc.  This classic “double frame” sextant, also known as the “pillar frame” was made with Troughton’s innovative design using two thin sheets of brass held together with turned support pillars which contributed to its lightweight yet rigid construction.  Hence the term “pillar frame.”   An unusual feature of this particularly early instrument is the fact that the scale is divided directly onto the large brass arc from -5 degrees to 150 degrees subdivided to 15 minutes.  Later instruments featured inlaid scales of silver, gold or even platinum!  The braced index arm has a silver vernier calibrated from 0 to 15 arc minutes, which is subdivided to provide a reading down to 15 arc seconds.   A pivoting magnifier is mounted on the index arm to take the fine reading.  The arm is equipped with a positive stop and a tangential fine adjust knob.  This full-size all brass sextant has both index and horizon mirrors and its full sets of index and horizon filters.  The height-adjustable telescope holder is controlled by a knurled knob on the reverse.  The sculpted rosewood handle and three “feet” complete the back side.  The original hand-dovetailed “keystone” mahogany box in black finish is of early form containing a single telescopic sighting tube.  The box has two hook and eye closures and the original brass lock with skeleton key.  It measures 10 high by 14 inches wide and 5 inches.    Edward Troughton was born in London in 1753.  At the age of 17 he began working with his brother, John, managing their uncle's instrument-making firm on Surrey Street, the Strand, London.  In 1782 they set up shop at 136 Fleet Street under the sign of "The Orrerey."   Edward was a contemporary of the famous Jesse Ramsden who was credited with making the first commercially viable dividing engine in 1773.  In 1778 Edward made a dividing engine himself and began his sextant manufactory.  Up to that time sextants could only be produced in very limited quantities using the laborious hand division method.  Edward saw an opportunity to expand the navigational instrument market and in that same year introduced his famous "pillar frame" or "double" sextant with its scale calibrated on his newly-made dividing engine.  His design was very similar in its concept to trusses used in the construction of iron bridges at the time.  The idea was to fabricate a strong, rigid, yet lightweight instrument free from the vagaries of temperature, humidity and other environmental factors which affected the accuracy of navigational instruments at sea.  Troughton’s instrument, so constructed, was expensive.  But it quickly gained the widespread acclaim of merchant mariners and Naval men alike.  Edward's preeminence in his field overshadowed his brother/partner John who died in relative obscurity.  Edward went on to partner with William Simms around 1825, forming the enduring instrument making firm of Troughton & Simms, which lasted into the early 20th century.  Edward retired in 1831 and died in 1835. This instrument with serial number XXX* (below 500) is very early in Troughton’s manufacture and dates to 1799.  This is based on an extrapolation taken from a table entitled "Instrument Serial Numbers 1750-1850," Fig. 18.4 in an article written by A. Stimson on marine navigational instruments for the 1976 publication Vistas In Astronomy.  The article is titled, “The Influence of the Royal Observatory Upon Design of 17th and 18th Century Angle Measuring Instruments At Sea.”  Troughton went on to produce more than 1500 such instruments under his own name, the latest of which dated 1826.  After that date similar sextants continued to be produced, marked with the partnership name of "Troughton & Simms.”  The design was so popular that many contemporary instrument makers produced copies well into the 1830’s. The first sextants to appear in the English market made in the early 1750’s.  They were hand-divided by the master instrument makers such as Jeremiah Sisson (w. 1749 - 1783), John Bird (Bapt. 1709-1776) and Benjamin Cole.  A telltale feature of these 18th century navigational instruments was that the scales which were engraved directly onto their brass frames.  Later, inlaid scales came into vogue, made of silver, gold and even platinum.  The scale of this instrument is of the very earliest type – on brass. * For the privacy and security of the ultimate purchaser the serial number of this instrument is being withheld.  The actual serial number is very sharp and readable, but we have blurred it for purposes of the photo.

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3.33 TELLTALE COMPASS. Rare, totally original first half of the 19th century sailing ship captain's cabin compass. This exceptional example is all brass with the engraved paper card signed around the center "John Campbell, 7 South Castle Street, Liverpool." The North point is designated by a fancy fleur-de-lis with the cardinal and intercardinal points identified. The pivot has an agate cap and the card is divided to 1/4 points of the compass with single degrees on the periphery. The all brass glazed housing is slung in its original gimbal which is suspended in a magnificent cast brass mounting bracket with floral designs! In use, this compass would have hung from the overhead in the captain's quarters allowing him to monitor the ship's heading from his bunk or desk -- hence the name "tell tale." Outstanding original condition with a fine, rich patina. Definitely the finest example of its type we have ever seen. The compass card is 6 1/4 inches in diameter. The compass housing is 7 1/2 inches in diameter. The overall width of this presentation is 10 inches.  2495 John Campbell was listed as a chronometer and nautical instrument maker at 17 Warren Street in Liverpool from 1845 - 1855. (Gloria Clifton, "Dictionary of British Scientific Instruments Makers 1550-1851".)

COMPASSCARD	CAPTAINS VIEW	SIDE

 3.76  SAILING SHIP INCLINOMETER.  Very handsome solid teak and brass shipboard clinometer faithfully copied after the original adorning the officers’ dining room aboard the famous sailing ship the STAR of INDIA.  This high quality instrument is made from solid teak and brass with two “rope twist” limbs and an arc covered by a brass scale divided in 10’s from 0 - 40 degrees port and starboard.  The heavy cast brass pendulum has a decorative fleur-de-lis at the top and a unique cut-out arrow which points to the individual degree of heel or list.  When rotated, the brass pivot knob at the apex serves the dual purpose of locking the pendulum when not in use.  The screws holding the brass scale on either side also function as the attachments to the bulkhead.   This fine inclinometer measures 10 ½ inches wide by 8 ½ inches tall on the frame.  The brass pendulum measures 11 inches long.  Complete with an etched brass presentation plaque reading:

In pristine condition, this inclinometer is itself over ¼ century old, having been manufactured in 1983 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the ship.  79

The 3-masted bark STAR of INDIA is the oldest ship in the world which still sails! She was built at the Ramsey Shipyard, Isle of Man, England in 1863.   With an iron hull, she was state-of-the-art at the time, when most vessels were still being built of wood.  She was launched as a full-rigged ship, christened EUTURPE, after the Greek muse of music and poetry.
 
EUTURPE began her career on a turbulent note. During her first trip she suffered a collision and a mutiny. On her second trip she was caught by a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal.  With her topmasts cut away she barely made port. Shortly thereafter her captain died on board and was buried at sea.
 
 After these ill-fated beginnings, EUTERPE made four more voyages to India as a cargo ship. In 1871 she was purchased by the Shaw Savill Line, London and embarked on a quarter century of hauling emigrants to New Zealand, Australia, California and Chile. In this capacity she circumnavigated the globe 21 times with many voyages lasting up to a year!

In 1897 EUTERPE was sold to Hawaiian interests, then again to the Pacific Coloional Ship Company of San Francisco in 1899.  In that service she made 4 voyages between the Pacific Northwest, Australia and Hawaii carrying lumber, coal and sugar.
In 1901, EUTERPE was sold to the Alaska Packers’ Association of San Francisco and  re-rigged as a bark.  In 1902 the newly overhauled vessel began the final episode of her active career carrying fishermen, cannery workers, coal and canning supplies from Oakland, California to Nushagak, Alaska.  Each fall she returned with a catch of canned salmon.   In 1906, she was renamed the STAR of INDIA in keeping with the names of her sister ships in the Packers’ fleet.   Finally in 1923 she was laid up after 22 Alaskan voyages, having outlived her usefulness in the age of steam.
In 1926 the STAR of INDIA was sold to the San Diego Zoological Society with the idea of featuring her as the centerpiece of a museum and aquarium.  To this day, she continues to fulfill that role as the prime attraction of the San Diego Maritime Museum.

SHIP SPECIFICATIONS:
Hull Length 212 feet
Sparred Length 280 feet
Beam 25 feet
Draft 21 ½ feet
Gross Tonnage 1318 tons

SHIP	SHIP 2	PLAQUE	DETAIL

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3.34 AMERICAN WOOD BOWL COMPASS. Genuine, early 2nd quarter of the 19th century American compass made by the noted compass maker "Robert Merrill, New York." as signed around the central pivot. The nicely engraved dry card is divided to 1/2 points of the compass, with the cardinal and intercardinal points identified and North marked by an elaborate fleur-de-lis. The central brass pivot has an agate cap. Indicative of its early origin this compass has a decorated East point, a traditional holdover in early compass making since the Crusaders traveled East during the Middle Ages. Even more remarkable, the compass housing is of turned wood! The compass card measures 6 inches in diameter and is housed in its original green-painted bowl with glazed cover slung in gimbals within the hand-dovetailed pine box measuring 10 inches square and 7 inches high. It appears that the box originally had a hinged lid. Overall condition is excellent. The compass is functional and it gimbals properly. A very nice example of a scarce American wooden bowl compass by the most famous American compass maker of the 19th century. Given the wooden bowl construction and the decorated East point on the card, this compass most certainly dates from the beginning of Merrill's career, circa 1835. 995

Robert Merrill was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on April 19, 1804. He was first listed as a "mathematical instrument" maker in the New York City directory of 1835-1836 with a partner, William Davis. Shortly thereafter, in 1838 Merrill struck out on his own as a compass maker at the address 141 Maiden Lane. In 1865 Merrill took his sons into the business. He died in 1876. (Charles Smart, "The Makers of Surveying Instruments in America Since 1700," 1962, Regal Art Press, New York.)

CARD	HELMSMAN'S VIEW	BOWL

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