Manthey's Photograph Gallery - Surveying Instruments

A collection of photographs of compasses, transits, and other surveying tools.

All photographs were taken by and are copyright 2001 by David William Manthey. Click on a photograph to see a larger version.

There pictures are all from the Charles E. Smart collection owned by the New York State Museum. They were photographs solely for my own edification. This collection is currently archived in the Museum's warehouse. I was allowed to look and carefully handle them.

The instruments are presented in approximate chronological order.

Semi-circumferentor, made by John Potter in 1785. This is item US21 in the Smart collection. The wood on the base is worn, but the woodwork was obviously top quality. The entire instrument still works perfectly (except for the missing hairs), with the needle readily responding when the lifter is dropped. There must originally have been a card with markings in the trough compass.
Top view of the circumferentor	Top view with the index turned	Bottom view. The thumb screw operates the needle lifter	Trough compass	Side view. Note the folding sights
Outside of the sight	Outside of the sight	End view	Informational card made up when the semicircumferentor was on public display	Oblique view with the index partially turned
Top view	Edge view. The indices don't stand quite straight	End view showing the trough compass	Indices partially folded	End view
Close up of blade of index	Blade on index and trough compass	Top view of compass	One of the sights	Index turned around 90 degrees
Vernier compass, made by William Davenport between 1802 and 1829. This is item US8 in the Smart collection. Perhaps it is just the needle lifter, but the needle looks off center.
Overview of the compass	Top view. Note that the main base of the compass is cast	Face and limb detail	Level and sight base detail. Note the off center mount at one end of the level	Outside of sight, including original vertical hair
Inside of sight	Bottom, including needle lifter screw and vernier screw	Vernier	End view	Face and vernier detail
Improved Compass, made by Andrew Meneely between 1841 and 1850. This is item TR3 in the Smart collection. This compass has levels such that it can be turned on its side and used as a clinometer to measure vertical angles.
Overview of the compass	The fine calibration adjustment mechanism	The calibration vernier	Flower de luce and the compass face. Note how the limb has marks on both the top and on the inside	Inside of one of the sights. Note the level for use when the compass is on its side
Outside of one of the sights	Side vernier	Levels. The left one is used for both upright and sideways positions	Flower de luce and the compass face	Outer limb and side vernier
Transit, made by Pike and Sons between 1841 and 1854. This is item US13 in the Smart collection.
Overview of the transit	The opposite side of the transit	Eyepiece end of telescope	Level mount and telescope detail	Top view of level
Vernier	Side of limb	Base	Another view of the base	Vertical limb and telescope
Another view of the base	Objective end of telescope
Transit, made by King and Sons between 1841 and 1858. This is item ST51 in the Smart collection. I'm not sure of the purpose of the post on the wooden base.
Overview of the transit	Vernier and face	Vertical limb	Objective end of telescope	Eyepiece of telescope. Also note the protective cover on the level
Fine adjust mechanisim, face, and levels	Rack and underside	Levels	Another view of the fine adjust mechanism	Overview of the transit
Surveyor's vernior compass, made by Phelps and Gurley in 1851. This is item TR33 in the Smart collection.
Overview of the compass	Face of the compass and one level	Calibration vernier	Calibration vernier	Inside of sight
Outside of sight	Side view
High-post alidade, made by Gurley in 1914. This is item TR42 in the Smart collection. This is attached to a plain blade for use with a plane table. Surprisingly, the blade has no scale on it.
Overview of the alidade	Eyepiece of telescope, part of limb	The vertical limb and vernier, level, and telescope	The front of the telescope, with lens cap	Back of the limb showing the fine and coarse adjustment methods
Overview of the alidade from the back	Detail of how the post is attached to the blade	Top back view

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