Heath & Co., Ltd. Sextant

sextant

INSTRUMENTS - SEXTANTS
Heath & Co., Ltd.
circa 1920
metal; wood; glass
overall: 4 1/2 x 10 x 9 1/2 in.

Heath & Co., Ltd. sextant, no. 8767, in box with trade label for Negus, NY; dated circa 1920 [ref. Willem Morzer Bruyns, July 2006]. Owned by Robert E. Todd, Paul Hammond (and used aboard 3-masted schooner yacht CAPITANA during Samuel Eliot Morison's "Harvard Expedition" to retrace Columbus's voyage), and Jariilo Walter (uncle of donor); 'J. Walter' carved into wooden handle of sextant. Sextant frame made of metal with embedded silver gaduated arc, measures to 130°; 'Platina' engraved on upper left of the arc, platina is an alloy of platinum - possible metal used for the frame? Serial number and sextant manufacturer also engraved along arc, reads '8767 / Heath & Co., Ltd. Crayford. London.' Name engraved along the lower left edge for 'Robert E. Todd.' Sextant includes additional accessories including a bronze telescopic lens with interchangable colored lenses, a large magnifying lense, and three smaller telescope lenses. Overall fair to good condition; surface of the metal frame has oxidized around the corners. Overall: 4 1/2 x 10 x 9 1/2 in.

2005.48.1