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Wooden backstaff or Davis quadrant made by John Gilbert on Tower Hill
- Made:
- 1730; 1967 in Tower Hill
- maker:
- John Gilbert and Science Museum, Workshops
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Wooden backstaff or Davis quadrant made by John Gilbert on Tower Hill, London, England in 1730 for Thomas Wells. The navigational instrument is fitted with boxwood circular scales (30°arc 0-25, 60°arc 0-65 & 0.5’ divisions), signed ivory insert and decorative stars are stamped on the frame and arcs. The backstaff is fitted with a replacement Flamsteed Lens and a shadow vane made in the Science Museum workshops in 1967 (copied from Inv. No.1908-158).
Details
- Category:
- Navigation
- Object Number:
- 1884-18
- Materials:
- wood (unidentified), boxwood, ivory and glass
- Measurements:
-
overall: 650 mm x 360 mm x 130 mm,
- type:
- back-staff
- credit:
- Day, J.