plane table alidade and compass
Date1871-1898
Inventory Number5153
ClassificationAlidade
Subject
Maker
Buff & Berger
1871 - 1898
Maker
Buff & Buff Manufacturing Company
1898 - 1982
Maker
W. & L. E. Gurley
1845 - 1968
User
Lawrence Scientific School
1847 - 1906
User
Department of Engineering Sciences, Harvard University
founded circa 1918
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensionsalidade: 23.9 × 9.3 × 55.1 cm (9 7/16 × 3 11/16 × 21 11/16 in.)
case: 12.3 × 57.7 × 30.5 cm (4 13/16 × 22 11/16 × 12 in.)
case: 12.3 × 57.7 × 30.5 cm (4 13/16 × 22 11/16 × 12 in.)
Material
Accessoriesplane table compass; sun shade; dust cap
DescriptionPlane table alidade of brass, well weathered, with telescopic sight and vertical 60° arc.
The telescope has a bubble level mounted on top. There is a divided silver scale with vernier on a small arc on one side. The focuser is presently stuck, so that its tube could not be checked for a signature or other markings.
The telescopic sight is fork mounted and reversible in its pivots. The mount is attached to a hollow column that also serves as a handle for moving the alidade around. The column sits on a cast base pierced with rectangular openings. The base has crossed bubble levels.
The fitted wooden case holds a plane table compass by Gurley, a sun shade, and some heavy leather belting. The case has two heavy-duty leather handles. Instructions for use of the alidade are printed on a Buff & Buff trade card in the case.
The plane table compass is brass with a silvered, bilevel wind rose divided 0-360° every 1°. The wind rose has 8 points and east and west are reversed. Star at north. Needle brake. Jeweled pivot on blue-silver needle. The base of the compass has crossed bubble levels.
The telescope has a bubble level mounted on top. There is a divided silver scale with vernier on a small arc on one side. The focuser is presently stuck, so that its tube could not be checked for a signature or other markings.
The telescopic sight is fork mounted and reversible in its pivots. The mount is attached to a hollow column that also serves as a handle for moving the alidade around. The column sits on a cast base pierced with rectangular openings. The base has crossed bubble levels.
The fitted wooden case holds a plane table compass by Gurley, a sun shade, and some heavy leather belting. The case has two heavy-duty leather handles. Instructions for use of the alidade are printed on a Buff & Buff trade card in the case.
The plane table compass is brass with a silvered, bilevel wind rose divided 0-360° every 1°. The wind rose has 8 points and east and west are reversed. Star at north. Needle brake. Jeweled pivot on blue-silver needle. The base of the compass has crossed bubble levels.
Signedon trade card in case lid: BUFF & BERGER / Manufacture of all kinds of / SURVEYING ENGINEERING and ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS. /... / No. 9 Province Court, Boston, Mass.
on trade card in case lid: BUFF & BUFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY / JAMAICA PLAIN STATION, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
on wind rose of plane table compass: W. & L. E. GURLEY, TROY, N. Y.
Inscribedon trade card in case lid: BUFF & BERGER / Manufacture of all kinds of / SURVEYING ENGINEERING and ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS. / Large Illustrated Catalogue and Manual of their / Improved Engineers Field Instruments, / Tapes, Chains, Leveling rods, etc. / No. 9 Province Court, Boston, Mass. / [pointing finger] Instruments carefully Repaired and Adjusted.
on Buff & Buff trade card inside case lid, an image of the workshop in Jamaica Plain, with this caption: THE MOST PRECISE INSTRUMENT SHOP IN THE WORLD
in white crayon inside case: 2
stamped on front edge of lid: 2
in white paint on outside of case, lower front right: B. B.
in white paint on outside of case, extending from front edge of lid to base: 2
on white paper sticker on outside of case: INVERTED / HARVARD / # 2
stamped on case lid: ALIDADE / 2
stamped on case lid: L. S. S. 2
on metal label on case lid: HARVARD UNIVERSITY / 1708
ProvenanceLawrence Scientific School; Harvard Department of Engineering Sciences; transfer to CHSI, 1961
W. & L. E. Gurley
Date: 1900-1906
Accessories: bubble level; plane table compass; case
Object number: 1997-1-1882
W. & L. E. Gurley
Date: 1900-1906
Accessories: dust cap; bubble level; plane table compass; needle in wood handle; case
Object number: 5155
W. & L. E. Gurley
Accessories: plane table compass; sunshade; case.
Object number: 1997-1-1883
Keuffel & Esser Company
Accessories: bubble level, trough compass
Object number: 5156
C. F. Casella & Co. Ltd.
Date: circa 1920
Accessories: case
Object number: 1989-1-0028
Buff & Buff Manufacturing Company
Date: circa 1905
Accessories: wood case; leather case; right-angle prism; plumb bob; oil flask; tripod (5174b)
Object number: 5174a
Bausch, Lomb, Saegmuller Company
Date: 1905-1907
Accessories: bubble level, sun shade, calibration card in lid, needle
Object number: 5154
W. & L. E. Gurley
Date: ca. 1884
Accessories: solar attachment; case; level; green filter; sun shade; tripod (5163b)
Object number: 5163a
John H. Temple
Date: 1850-1870
Accessories: carrying case; dust cap; leather straps; tripod (5166b)
Object number: 5166a
