2051

Paris, Circa 1760

18TH CENTURY FRENCH SURVEYOR'S BRASS SEMICIRCLE

Signed on the sighting arm "Martin au Temple - Paris". Graphometer with divided semicircle pierced and engraved with scrolls and inset with a glazed compass. Pivoted alidade with slit sights and vernier reading to the nearest minute of arc. Ball and socket joint. Includes original fitted leather-covered case. Displayed on a later box stand painted black.
Height not including stand 9". Diameter of arc 12".
Condition: Original case is intact, but leather is quite deteriorated.

The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact Eldred's before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction. 

  • Provenance:
    Christie's New York, Scientific Instruments Auction, 1986.
    The Kelton Collection of Marine Art & Artifacts.
  • Exhibited:
    Pacific Asia Museum at U.S.C., Trade and Treasure Exhibition, 1987.

    Notes:
    The graphometer is a basic surveying instrument for measuring angles or bearings between two points. More than one sight can be taken to obtain a position by a fix or triangulation. This information can then be drawn on a chart or charted information can be compared to the visual sighting. The graphometer can also be used vertically to measure altitudes. To facilitate this use the instrument has a ball and socket joint to its mount. The graphometer was first described by Philippe Danfrie (d.1616) in Paris about 1597. It remained in use for more than 200 years. It was frequently carried on ships for hydrographic surveying on landfalls. This is the type of instrument George Washington could have used as a young surveyor.

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July 26, 2022 9:30 AM EDT
East Dennis, MA, US

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