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Well, thanks yet again for all your trouble. Further rummaging in my
memory has now produced an image not of a photo of the device, but a
line drawing. Net of everything it doesn't really matter. I hope the
purchase from eBay is successful. Sounds like our man in New Zealand
will give us thorough report of its vetting and trial.  -Hewitt

On 11/15/08, glapook@pacbell.net  wrote:
>
>  Well, I was wrong. I double checked my 1962 edition of Bowditch and
>  found the same information about this device that is in the 1977
>  edition.
>
>  gl
>
>
>  On Nov 14, 5:24 pm, Gary LaPook  wrote:
>  > I didn't find any mention of it in my blue covered 1962 edition.
>  >
>  > gl
>
> > --- On Fri, 11/14/08, Hewitt Schlereth  wrote:
>  >
>  > From: Hewitt Schlereth 
>
> > Subject: [NavList 6552] Re: Can someone identify this
>  > To: NavList@fer3.com
>  > Date: Friday, November 14, 2008, 4:49 PM
>  >
>  > Thank you, Gary.
>  >
>  > When I sold my house three years ago, I donated what I could of my nav
>  > library and (sigh) had to just pitch a lot of it - including my
>  > collection of every NA from 1965. I have in my mind that a picture of
>  > the device was in one of my Bowditch's - as I recall it was an edition
>  > with a dark blue cover, whereas I think the 1977 was medium  green?
>  > The description in the pages you sent sure fits, though.
>  >
>  > Thanks again,  Hewitt
>  >
>
> > On 11/14/08, Gary LaPook  wrote:
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > > Here are the pages from the 1977 Bowditch that concern this device.
>  >
>  > > gl
>  >
>
> > > --- On Fri, 11/14/08, Hewitt Schlereth  wrote:
>  >
>  > > From: Hewitt Schlereth 
>
> > > Subject: [NavList 6547] Re: Can someone identify this
>  > > To: NavList@fer3.com
>  > > Date: Friday, November 14, 2008, 9:55 AM
>  >
>  > > I see by the brass plate in one of the photos the instrument was made
>  > > in Belfontaine Ohio a place near to my heart: I learned to swim at a
>  > > YMCA there in 1946. So let me add $25 to the fund to purchase this
>  > > fascinating device.
>  >
>  > > BTW and FWIW, the general look of the thing reminds me of a device
>  > > that appeared in earlier editions of Bowditch (c. 1982?) in their
>  > > listing of sight reduction methods. As I recall the Bowditch
>  > > description had a picture of the device which appeared to be made of
>  > > three white plastic plates that could be set to make a miniature
>  > > navigational triangle. It looked like you set the two vertical plates
>  > > to LHA and then aligned a third lateral plate with declination on one
>  > > of the vertical plates and latitude on the other and read Hc from the
>  > > lateral plate.
>  >
>  > > Hewitt Schlereth
>  >
>
> > > On 11/14/08, George Huxtable  wrote:
>  >
>  > > > Bill Morris, as "Engineer", wrote, about the instrument we
>  > have
>  > > been
>  > > > discussing-
>  >
>  > > > =================
>  >
>
> > > > From: "engineer" 
>
> > > > To: "NavList" 
>  > > > Sent: Friday, November 14, 2008 2:19 AM
>  > > > Subject: [NavList 6542] Re: Can someone identify this
>  >
>  > > > I'm interested in this item too and planned to bid on it. If I
>  > won
>  > > the
>  > > > bidding, I would take it apart, service it and put it together again
>  > > > in a restored state. Then I would post detailed labelled photographs
>  > > > for others to see. When tired of it, I would offer it to a museum for
>  > > > what it cost me. I agree it would be a pity for it to rest in private
>  > > > hands, undescribed and gathering dust. On the other hand, why should
>  > > > North America have all the luck? People in out-of-the way places love
>  > > > instruments too.
>  >
>  > > > Bill.
>  >
>  > > > ====================
>  >
>  > > > Comment from George-
>  >
>  > > > Well, if Bill Morris were to succeed in a bid, that would meet most
>  > of my
>  > > > own wishes, and I suspect those of several other listmembers, for the
>  > > future
>  > > > of this special instrument.
>  >
>  > > > It would be rescued from locking away in a hidden private collection;
>  > in
>  > > the
>  > > > end it would end up in a public museum; and in the interim it would
>  > be
>  > > > examined for us by a real expert. The only snag is that of Bill's
>  > > location,
>  > > > in a particularly isolated corner of New Zealand, which would,
>  > > > unfortunately, require long-distance transporting of the item, and
>  > put it
>  > > > out of range of personal inspection of anyone other than Bill.
>  >
>  > > > Perhaps it would help if I pass on some details about Bill Morris,
>  > who
>  > > I've
>  > > > got to know quite well, by email, over recent months. Originally from
>  > > > Britain, for many years he has been a doctor in rural New Zealand,
>  > having
>  > > > retired now to an even more isolated spot, where he indulges in
>  > precision
>  > > > engineering, from a well-equipped workshop. Although not a navigator
>  > > > himself, he has a particular interest is in sextants, and he claims
>  > to
>  > > have
>  > > > restored altogether 28 such instruments of a wide range of types,
>  > > modern.and
>  > > > less-modern, not on a profit-making basis but as a hobby.
>  >
>  > > > He is presently finishing-off a book (intended for distribution by CD
>  > > rather
>  > > > than print) on the "intimate anatomy of the sextant".
>  > I've
>  > > come in because
>  > > > he has asked me to scan it for any obvious errors, so I have been
>  > > privileged
>  > > > to see a preview. Looking at the care he devotes to detailed
>  > explanation
>  > > and
>  > > > description, illustrated by well-angled and notated colour photos and
>  > > > diagrams, I would have no hesitation in entrusting to him this Fix
>  > Finder
>  > > > for a careful analysis, and hope that he would share his findings
>  > with us
>  > > as
>  > > > he proceeds, before eventually passing it to a museum.
>  >
>  > > > So, if Bill is prepared to act on our behalf, as well as his own, in
>  > > > bidding, I restate my offer of sharing (to a maximum of $100) in the
>  > > total
>  > > > cost, if his bid succeeds, to give him some encouragement. Other
>  > members
>  > > > have expressed similar sentiments. The more that join in, the higher
>  > the
>  > > > chance of his success, and the less the burden will become on each of
>  > us.
>  >
>  > > > One or two things need to be kept in mind here.
>  >
>  > > > There may well be a flurry of last-minute bids and the price may go
>  > well
>  > > > above its present $102.50. Indeed, the seller has set a reserve
>  > price,
>  > > which
>  > > > we have no way of knowing, that has not yet been met.
>  >
>  > > > Although list members may contribute a "share" in the total
>  > > cost, that would
>  > > > not be expected to result in any shared ownership of the item, which
>  > > would
>  > > > become the sole property of the bidder. The whole operation would
>  > have to
>  > > > work on the basis of gentlemanly trust between all involved.
>  >
>  > > > If Bill Morris confirms his intention to bid on that basis, I would
>  > hope
>  > > > that other list members might show restraint in any bidding of their
>  > own.
>  > > > However, if any list member gets overcome by the lust to possess,
>  > perhaps
>  > > he
>  > > > might inform Bill beforehand, and share his technical findings with
>  > us
>  > > > afterwards.
>  >
>  > > > George.
>  >
>  > > > For those that have yet to look up this item on ebay, it's at-
>  >
>
> > http://cgi.ebay.ca/ASTRONOMIC-CALCULATOR-SEXTANT-theodolite_W0QQitemZ...
>
> >
>  >
>  >
>  > > > and to see the original 1950 patent, look up Google Patents
>  > 2,519,532.
>  >
>
> > > > contact George Huxtable, now at geo...@hux.me.uk
>
> >
>  > > > or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
>  > > > or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>

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