Archives

SHEPPARD’S PATENTED DOUBLE-SLIDE SLIDE RULE

SHEPPARD’S PATENTED DOUBLE-SLIDE SLIDE RULE, English, c. 1880, signed for the maker “Stanley Great Turnstile Holborn London,” for the inventor “Fred’k. A. Sheppard Patentee No. 160,” and for the owner “Claude W. Atkinson.” Constructed of fine boxwood, 13″ (33 cm) overall, the rule has two two-sided slides running alongside each other. In the simple mode for volumetric calculations, the upper fixed scale “Length,” the two sliding scales (“Breadth” and “Thickness”), and the lower fixed scale “Cubic Content” all have Read More...

Sailor cane in tortoisebshell and whalebone – 19th Century

Sailor cane with monogrammed tortoiseshell handle. Gilted brass ring. Whalebone shaft. Copper ferrule with steel heel. Dimension: length of 83.5 cm. Datable from the 19th century. Read More...

REMARKABLE IN-LINE DOUBLE-REFLECTING MINIATURE QUINTANT

REMARKABLE IN-LINE DOUBLE-REFLECTING MINIATURE QUINTANT, English, c. 1830, beautifully signed “Thomas Jones, 62 Charing Cross, London,” and stamped twice on the case “Hudson & Son, Greenwich.” This diminutive sextant is constructed of clear lacquered and chemically darkened brass, 4-1/4″ (11 cm) overall with a scale radius of just under 3″. It is shaped as a quarter-circle, with scale useable from -5° to 148° (and thus covering the 2 x 72° = 144° necessary for a quintant). The rotating index Read More...

LORD’S CALCULATOR

LORD’S CALCULATOR, English, c. 1900, signed “R. Waddington, Coventry.” The 2-3/4″ (7 cm) plated brass watch case is glazed in front, and fitted with two winding knobs and side mounting block. The calculator has four concentric circular scales (labeled A, B, C, and D), divided on silvered brass, the numerals colored in red and black. Two of these scales are independently rotatable by the knobs; no cursor is used. Condition is very fine and functional, noting a little wear Read More...

Large telescope & tripod – Armstrong, Manchester.

Signed on the back collar, ‘Armstrong, Manchester’, measuring 54″ ( 137 cms ) extended with a 3 inch objective lens. It has an adjustable tripod giving an extended height to 70″ ( 180 cms ). Magnification is 40 x. In good condition throughout giving a fine sharp image when viewing. Thomas Armstrong & Brother Ltd worked from 1825 – 1868. In 1877 they were appointed official opticians to the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and supplied optical equipment to many government Read More...

BOOK ” OLD TELESCOPES “

Paperback consisting of 66 pages Read More...

DEEP-CELL ANATOMICAL INJECTION BY THE MASTER

DEEP-CELL ANATOMICAL INJECTION BY THE MASTER, English, mid-19th century, hand-signed in diamond writing “Hett” and with the specimen identification “Choroid Coat of the Eye of the Ox.” Mounted on the standard 1″ x 3″ glass microscope slide is Hett’s distinctive square black cell with deep central circular glazed cavity containing the red injected tissue, fluid, and his mandatory air bubble. Condition is very fine. Alexander Hett specialized in preparing deep-cell fluid mounts, of a quality “unsurpassed by any other fluid-mounted Read More...

IMPORTANT DESIGN IN A LARGE ACHROMATIC TELESCOPE

IMPORTANT DESIGN IN A LARGE ACHROMATIC TELESCOPE, English, c. 1770, signed on the objective cell “Pyefinch, London, No. 194.” The telescope has a tapered mahogany barrel with substantial brass fittings, constructed in four screw-together sections and one brass drawtube. Overall length varies from 6’3″ to 7’4″ (1.90 – 2.24 m). The slightly grey-green objective is 2″ in diameter, with two elements in notched mounts to assure they are kept in the optimum rotary alignment. The elements have adjustable separation; Read More...

THE ULTIMATE IN DECORATION ON ALUMINUM — ENGLISH BINOCULARS FOR THE CHINESE MARKET

THE ULTIMATE IN DECORATION ON ALUMINUM — ENGLISH BINOCULARS FOR THE CHINESE MARKET, c. 1870, signed “Callaghan, 23A New Bond St., corner of Conduit St., London; Made for Lapraik, Hongkong.” Measuring 4″ (10 cm) long (closed), the binoculars extend to 5-1/2″ by geared center focus and sliding sunshades. Every square millimeter seems covered with abundant floral and geometric decoration. Condition is very fine and functional, giving excellent images. The maker was the optician William Callaghan (probably the elder, his son Read More...

THE MESSUM NAUTICAL PROTRACTOR

THE MESSUM NAUTICAL PROTRACTOR, English, c.1910, signed “Cary, London, Regd. No. 475601.” Made of thermoplastic or heavy celluloid, 7″ overall, the protractor is engraved on both sides with numerous scales in black and red. Included are a “Masthead Angle Table” and a “Tide Scale For 6 Hr. Tide.” The inventor was apparently Cmdr. Stuart V.S.C. Messum, author of Hydrographic Surveying in 1910. Messum does discuss various scales and designs of protractors, as well as the practicality of surveying by Read More...

SIGHTING QUADRANT FOR DISTANCE RANGING OF TALL SHIPS, ETC.

SIGHTING QUADRANT, English, c. early 19th century. This all-brass instrument stands 6-1/4″ (16 cm) tall, with cross-hair equipped sighting tube moving in altitude over the 0(1)90 degree quadrant, and swinging freely in azimuth on the short pillar mount. Sighting horizontally the scale reads 0°; vertically, 90°. Thus we have a straightforward astronomical quadrant measuring angular altitudes of celestial bodies as well as topographic features, buildings, etc. But a small scale, with index pointer, on the reverse tells a further Read More...

John J. Griffin & Sons 1873 Scientific Demonstration Apparatus Catalog

While printed copies of digitized scans of this catalog are available, the original is a very scarce item. Neither Abe nor AddALL shows a copy. This 186 page catalog is in very good condition, noting wear to the top and bottom of spine. 18.5 x 13.5 cm.  Read More...