Lot 178
178
THE BRITISH TRANS-ARCTIC EXPEDITION, 1968-69
THE PROPERTY OF MR DAN WEINSTEIN
THE BRITISH TRANS-ARCTIC EXPEDITION, 1968-69

WALLY HERBERT'S POCKET SEXTANT

Details
THE BRITISH TRANS-ARCTIC EXPEDITION, 1968-69
Wally Herbert's Pocket Sextant
with swinging arm vernier and magnifying lens, inscribed 'BTAE - WH' on the index arm and further inscribed 'for George 24.12.69' and 'For Dan - 29 May '99' on the body, in leather case signed 'Wally Herbert' and inscribed 'THE BRITISH TRANS-ARCTIC EXPEDITION 1968-1969' in ink, and with presentation inscription 'DAN WEINSTEIN' in ink on the reverse of the case
2¾in. (6.8cm.) diameter
Provenance
A gift from Wally Herbert to his editor, 24 September 1969, by whom returned to the donor in 1999.
A gift from Wally Herbert to Dan Weinstein, 29 May 1999.

Lot Essay

The four members of the British Trans-Arctic Expedition, 1968-69 each carried one of these British Army surplus units. Herbert's expedition was the first to make it, undisputed, to the North Pole on foot, reached on 6 April 1969. In all, the expedition made a 3,800 mile surface journey from Alaska to Spitsbergen, overwintering in order to navigate a way, via the Arctic drift, over the North Pole.

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