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A bit more, in response to Syd Garvey's posting about his acquisition of a
"Stanley Explorers sextant circa 1915."

Around that time, W F Stanley were the largest firm in the world providing
surveying equipment. They no longer manufacture instruments, but still exist
as precision engineers, in London. The immense quantity of stuff offered
now, pirating their name, must be a real pain to them.

There's an extensive listing of the wide range of surveying equipment
produced by W F Stanley, of London, in 1914, to be found at-


http://www.surveyantiques.com/content/european_makers/stanley_london/1914_catalog/stanley_wf_1914_catalog-viewer.htm

It doesn't seem to include any sextants, though I havent examined it very
closely. If they produced any sextants, these in my view are more likely to
have been box-sextants, used mainly for surveying, rather than marine
sextants. There are no marine sextants under that name mentioned in Peter
Ifland's "Taking the Stars", nor any that I've found found in the catalogue
of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich. Nor have I ever seen a real
marine sextant under the Stanley name. It's hard to prove a negative, but I
suggest it's likely that Stanley made none, and that every marine-type
sextant sold under the Stanley name is some sort of fake or repro.

If anyone on the list knows differently, it would be interesting to
discover.

All bad news, so far, for Syd Garvey, I'm afraid.

George.

contact George Huxtable, at  george@hux.me.uk
or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.
----- Original Message -----
From: 
To: 
Sent: Saturday, November 28, 2009 5:55 AM
Subject: [NavList 10831] Re: Sextant Manufacturers


Dan Alllen, I have just purchased an explorers sextant made by Stanley circe
1915 and now I would like to obtain as m,uch information as possible on
their history and usage. I am 76 live by the sea and have the time and the
locality to learn how to use one. Originally i collected marine
chronometers, but with one of these plus a prismatic compass of the same era
there is a whole new world of enquiry open to me. I can navigate and use a
prismatic compass which I had for trips into our " outback " and desert
areas; probably of more use today than a GPS in those areas.
Is it possible to obtain an instruction manual for one of these sextants,
and where would I start? I look forward to hearing from you..   Regards  Syd
Garvey.
I hasten to add I live in Victoria Australia, whether or not it is relevant
I don't know.
 Some more makers: Elliott Bros London circa 19th Cent, Negretti & Zambra
19th C,
think they equipped Darwins Beagle voyage; Newman and Gaurdia London similar
vintage, and finally Hall Bros London similar vintage. Searching for my
sextant brought up these names. Initially I wanted one built by Negretti and
Zambra, I think specific makers take time to locate. It has been a long ps.
-------------------------------------------------------
[Sent from archive by: syd-christine-AT-virtual.net.au]

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