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Lot Essay
A fine surveying instrument by Armitage and Mulock used on the Discovery expedition. Cary, Porter, Ltd., a firm of nautical and scientific instrument makers established in 1765, were instrument makers to the Admiralty and supplied Scott's expedition (see for example the station pointer, Christie's 21 Sept. 2000, lot 75).
RGS archive document 9 1/25, the printed list of instruments supplied for the NAE 1901-04, includes two 3" transit theodolites. The No.62 was used on Scott's Southern Journey, and Scott would have taken the No.62 on his 1903 Western Journey.
The No.59 (the present lot) was used in the 1902 season by Armitage on the first ascent of the Ferrar Glacier (what was later named the Upper Taylor Glacier), as well as in the 1903 season by Lt. Mulock on Barne's second journey to the South West on which they were the true discoverers of the Byrd Glacier and sighted the inland ice, Mulock recording an angle of one thirtieth of a degree elevation from the horizontal.
We are grateful to David E. Yelverton for the above information.
RGS archive document 9 1/25, the printed list of instruments supplied for the NAE 1901-04, includes two 3" transit theodolites. The No.62 was used on Scott's Southern Journey, and Scott would have taken the No.62 on his 1903 Western Journey.
The No.59 (the present lot) was used in the 1902 season by Armitage on the first ascent of the Ferrar Glacier (what was later named the Upper Taylor Glacier), as well as in the 1903 season by Lt. Mulock on Barne's second journey to the South West on which they were the true discoverers of the Byrd Glacier and sighted the inland ice, Mulock recording an angle of one thirtieth of a degree elevation from the horizontal.
We are grateful to David E. Yelverton for the above information.