UK and Ireland Archives - Page 78 of 94

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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...

02 Nov

REMARKABLE IN-LINE DOUBLE-REFLECTING MINIATURE QUINTANT

By TESSERACT

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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...

26 Oct

LORD’S CALCULATOR

By TESSERACT

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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...

17 Oct

Large telescope & tripod – Armstrong, Manchester.

By Scientific Inspirations

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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...

16 Oct

BOOK ” OLD TELESCOPES “

By Victor Burness

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Paperback consisting of 66 pages Read More...

15 Oct

DEEP-CELL ANATOMICAL INJECTION BY THE MASTER

By TESSERACT

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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...

15 Oct

IMPORTANT DESIGN IN A LARGE ACHROMATIC TELESCOPE

By TESSERACT

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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...

12 Oct

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

By TESSERACT

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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...

12 Oct

THE MESSUM NAUTICAL PROTRACTOR

By TESSERACT

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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...

11 Oct

SIGHTING QUADRANT FOR DISTANCE RANGING OF TALL SHIPS, ETC.

By TESSERACT

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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...

07 Oct

John J. Griffin & Sons 1873 Scientific Demonstration Apparatus Catalog

By M and R Gordon

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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...

06 Oct

Set of Governmental Standard Link Floor Plaques by De Grave & Co 1914

By Jason Clarke Antiques

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For sale, a very rare set of imperial measurement plaques depicting 0 to 100 links by De Grave & Co Limited 1914. Solid brass plaques such as these were originally produced in 1876 by The Board of Trade under Sir George Airy to provide public access to British imperial standards and are reputed to have been a means to protecting the standards after the originals were destroyed in the Palace of Westminster in the 1830’s. On that basis, The Board Read More...