A fine 19th Century lattice-frame oxidized brass vernier sextant, the main scale signed A & N.C.S.L., with the owner's name Whong and numbered 254, the index mirror with four coloured shades, the horizon mirror with three colour shades and with unusual hinged adjustable assembly to its base for correcting side error, 22 cm radius index arm, the vernier with swivel magnifier, inset silver scale divided -5o-0o-155o, inverting sun telescope, star telescope and other accessories in fitted mahogany carrying box with Kew Observatory, Richmond, Surrey Class A certificate dated May 1881 - the box 29.5 cm wide

Details

A fine 19th Century lattice-frame oxidized brass vernier sextant, the main scale signed A & N.C.S.L., with the owner's name Whong and numbered 254, the index mirror with four coloured shades, the horizon mirror with three colour shades and with unusual hinged adjustable assembly to its base for correcting side error, 22 cm radius index arm, the vernier with swivel magnifier, inset silver scale divided -5^o-0^o-155^o, inverting sun telescope, star telescope and other accessories in fitted mahogany carrying box with Kew Observatory, Richmond, Surrey Class A certificate dated May 1881 - the box 29.5 cm wide

Lot Essay

A & N.C.S.L. refers to the Army and Navy Stores of London

It is understood that this sextant was captured from a Chinese destroyer by Lieut. Roger Keyes (later admiral of the fleet Lord Keyes of Zeebrugge and Dover) during a daring action in the Boxer revolt, 1900. (Full details are given in the book C. Aspinal-Oglander, Roger Keyes - A Biography, London, 1951) See also lot 44.

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