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A Mid 19th Century High Quality Sextant Made by T.L. Ainsley of Cardiff. This is class A sextant, dated approx. between 1858 and 1886. The Maker's name T.L. Ainsley is engraved on the instrument and box label. The sextant frame is made of polished brass with a radius of 18.5 cm (7 ¼ inch) and ladder type configuration with turned brass ‘feet’ and Boxwood handle. The index arm is a 10 inch braced brass with a locking and tangent screw combination. The scale is engraved on inlaid silver divided in 10 arcminutes to 150° and is usable through 140°. The index arm has a vernier scale with division type '10 - 8 - 6 - 4 - 2' and vernier magnifier affixed to the arm. The sextant has 2 mirrors, 7 filters, 2 optical telescopes with power of X10 for the inverting and X3 for the erect, and a peep sight tube with eyeshade. The beautiful dovetailed mahogany case with brass hardware measures: 27.5cm x 25 cm (10 5/8 x 10 inches) and 12.5 cm (5 inches) high. The inside lid of the case carries a calibration certificate from ‘The Kew Observatory Richmond, Surrey’, dated July 1896. THOMAS L. AINSLEY worked in Cardiff and Barry Docks, England, during 1858-1886. Today, his navigation instruments are museum exhibits. |
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