Sextant

Object Name:

Sextant

Object ID:

1995.610.05

Creator:

Hemsley

Place of Origin:

London

Date:

1853-1860

Description:

Sextant, brass and ebony. From clipper ship Edwin Forrest. Triangular wooden frame with curved base. Brass fittings for lenses on one side, single-holed sighting pinnula opposite, pendulum mounted at upper tip, with bottom sliding along curved base. Wooden handle mounted to reverse side. Base has ivory piece set into side, with degree markings 0-105. Smaller ivory piece set into frame "Hemsley / Richd. John" "London / Ross Ball". Comes with two cylindrical copper and brass telescopic sights, stored in fitted rack in box. In wooden box shaped to fit, with two hinges, and two eye hook latches, one broken. "Ship / Edwin Forrest" in white on inside of lid. Two paper labels, one over the other, top one partly peeled off, missing part loose in box. Top label: "William Desilva / Chronometer Maker / Optician / & Nautical Instrument Maker / Regent Rd. Opposite the Bramley Moore Dk. Gate / Liverpool". Bottom one is for a nautical book and supply store in Boston, MA.

Material:

Metal
Wood
Ebony
Glass
Brass

Dimensions:

H-11.9 L-9.6 D-4.2 inches

Provenance:

With typescript label: "SEXTANT OF THE SHIP EDWIN FORREST, MARKED HEMSLEY, LONDON, RICHd JOHN ROSS BALL. The Edwin Forrest was a Clipper Ship of 1144 tons built in East Boston by D.D. Kelly; Crosby Crocker et al in 1853, New York owners. She sailed from New York August 1, 1860 bound for Hong Kong and was never heard from."

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Collection

Subjects:

Navigation, Sextants