Lot 37
37
AN 18ct. GOLD HUNTING CASED LEVER POCKET WATCH IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT EXPEDITION FOR THE OBSERVATION OF THE TRANSIT OF VENUS, 6th DECEMBER 1882. signed Muirhead & Arthur, 80 Argyle St., Glasgow, no.15055, 1881.
VAT rate of 17.5% is payable on hammer price plus … Read more OTHER PROPERTIES
AN 18ct. GOLD HUNTING CASED LEVER POCKET WATCH IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT EXPEDITION FOR THE OBSERVATION OF THE TRANSIT OF VENUS, 6th DECEMBER 1882. signed Muirhead & Arthur, 80 Argyle St., Glasgow, no.15055, 1881.

Details
AN 18ct. GOLD HUNTING CASED LEVER POCKET WATCH IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT EXPEDITION FOR THE OBSERVATION OF THE TRANSIT OF VENUS, 6th DECEMBER 1882.
signed Muirhead & Arthur, 80 Argyle St., Glasgow, no.15055, 1881.
gilt fusee movement, bimetallic compensation balance, white enamel dial with roman numerals, subsidiary seconds, cuvette inscribed Transit of Venus Expedition, A.Marth .F.R.A.S, C.M.Stevens, 1882 December 6th South Africa, the front with engraved monogram, case with London marks for 1881, movement signed, 50mm.
Special notice
VAT rate of 17.5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer’s premium.

Lot Essay

In 1881 a committee was appointed by the British government for the purpose of advising the Treasury and the Admiralty with respect to the conduct of the Transit of Venus observations in 1882. It was decided to send out expeditions to a small number of stations which were otherwise insufficiently provided for to allow a great enough number of contacts for the value of the sun's distance to be worked out with some degree of accuracy. Expeditions to Jamaica, Barbados, Bermuda, Cape of Good Hope, Madagascar, New Zealand and Brisbane were sent out directly from Britain. The two personnel assigned to Montagu road, Cape Colony were A. Marth and C.M. Stevens.

A full account of the expedition is included with this lot.

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