Rare Brass Vernier Surveyor's Compass by Benjamin Platt

Description:

Rare Brass Vernier Surveyor's Compass by Benjamin Platt, with 6-inch silvered dial engraved B. Platt, New Milford, Connecticut, two inset vials, double scale with needle ring divided 0-90 in four quadrants, blued-steel needle with clamp and brass vernier arm adjusted by rotating the mounting socket, the compass box mounted on gimbal in brass frame with straight arm and twin screw-on sights, lg. 14 3/4 in., in later mahogany case; and a brass surveyor's chain.

Note: Benjamin Platt (1757-1833) was born in Danbury, Connecticut, and produced his distinctive surveying compasses in New Milford between 1787 - 1790, and again from 1793 - 1800, before moving to Lanseboro and then to Columbus, Ohio, in 1817. See Silvio Bedini (1986),Early American Scientific Instruments, pp. 49-51 for a similar instrument.
Estimate $2,000-3,000

Keywords