Description

This is a really neat circa 1915 Ainsworth Solar Compass.   Ainsworth had a unique approach to attaching a Saegmueller Solar unit to a transit.  Ainsworth would modify a Saegmueller solar unit to fit on a mining transit designed for a second scope and counterweight (like Berger used).  I’ve asked around and Ainsworth was apparently the only maker who took this approach.

Note that the counterweight loop is only a half loop.  I have no idea what that’s about – never seen that before.  

This Ainsworth solar transit has an earlier style Saegmueller solar unit, which is interesting.   The Ainsworth manual shows later style a Saeg unit.  The counterweight on my unit also looks larger than what the manual shows.  I suspect that the purchaser of this Ainsworth might have already had a Saeg solar unit and had Ainsworth modify his Saeg unit to fit on the this Ainsworth transit.  Don’t know for sure of course – maybe Ainsworth had an old Saeg unit sitting on the shelf.

Either way, this is a really neat and very solar transit.

No box, but has a tripod (probably not original).

9.5 inches telescope.  2.5 inch compass needle.  Serial number 2946.  Missing one vernier glare guard.   Compass hard to read – small 2.5 inch needle

The levels contain liquids.

Optics work on both scopes. No crosshairs on the big scope. The Saeg might have crosshairs – hard to tell.  Solar unit wobbles a bit – needs tightening.  

Please see my Ainsworth Instrument Maker Webpage for more information about Ainsworth.

360 Degree Spinner View – with Zoom Option

(Zoom with your mouse scroll wheel or with the magnifying glass in the spinner menu bar. Unzoom to regain control of the 360 degree spinner).

Click Here to see more high resolution photos of the Ainsworth Solar Transit