Ebony and brass octant.

Ebony and brass octant. Ebony and brass octant.

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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Octant made by Spencer, Browning and Rust, London, about 1820. Ebony frame and limb with a brass index arm and fittings, inlaid ivory plates on the crossbar and on the back of the frame. Signed on the inlaid plate on the crossbar: . Spencer . Browning & Rust . London . Marked (stamped) on the scale (at 47°) SBR. Inlaid ivory scale from -2° to 99° every 20', measuring to 91°. Ivory vernier to 1', zero at the right. The tangent screw and clamping screw are on the back of the index arm. Three socket shades (two red, one green). Index-glass adjustment by a screw; adjustment of the horizon glass by a screw, and by a lever, worm gear and a milled clamping screw; adjustment of the back horizon glass by a lever, wing nut and a milled clamping screw. Threaded sight vane without adjustment and a swivelling shutter with one pinhole; the back sight vane has one pinhole. An ivory-capped pencil is fitted in the crossbar. Telescope (86 mm), erect image. In a stepped oak box.

Details

Category:
Navigation
Object Number:
1913-271
Materials:
ivory and ebony
type:
octant
credit:
Court, Thomas Henry

Parts

Octant, made about 1820, London.

Octant made by Spencer, Browning and Rust, London, about 1820. Ebony frame and limb with a brass index arm and fittings, inlaid ivory plates on the crossbar and on the back of the frame. Signed on the inlaid plate on the crossbar: . Spencer . Browning & Rust . London . Marked (stamped) on the scale (at 47°) SBR. Inlaid ivory scale from -2° to 99° every 20', measuring to 91°. Ivory vernier to 1', zero at the right. The tangent screw and clamping screw are on the back of the index arm. Three socket shades (two red, one green). Index-glass adjustment by a screw; adjustment of the horizon glass by a screw, and by a lever, worm gear and a milled clamping screw; adjustment of the back horizon glass by a lever, wing nut and a milled clamping screw. Threaded sight vane without adjustment and a swivelling shutter with one pinhole; the back sight vane has one pinhole. An ivory-capped pencil is fitted in the crossbar. Telescope (86 mm), erect image.

Measurements:
overall: 375 mm x 290 mm x 115 mm, 1.25kg
Materials:
ebony , ivory , brass (copper, zinc alloy) and glass
Object Number:
1913-271/1
type:
octant
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Stepped oak box for octant

Stepped oak box for octant

Stepped oak box for octant made by Spencer, Browning and Rust, London, about 1820.

Object Number:
1913-271/2
type:
octant
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum