I've been advised that this instrument is too heavy to be carried by a land surveyor, but it didn't seem that heavy to me. This was bought new in about 1965 and used in Montana for about a year and half with a tape for distance measurements before both were replaced with a T-2 and Model 6 Geodimeter.
The pyramidal wooden box at the right is the original transport case for the instrument in the bullet case, complete with hasp for padlock.
The motion and clamp screws on the instrument show field use. That's a trough compass on one of the standards, a much better compass than one would need for New Hampshire surveying, as I understand it.
How much?
No need for a compass in NH since any old direction for north will do.
> How much?
The idea is to find good homes for these instruments, but not to give them away. I haven't done the basic research to see what the market value is, so I'm interested in what others think. That particular T-1 was bought from a California dealer, I believe.
My guess is that a fair price would be somewhere in the range of $500 to $675, assuming the instrument is fully functional (which I'd verify if there is interest).
Is that instrument from the estate of a surveyor who had practices based in Bozeman, Montana and San Marcos, Texas?
GB
> Is that instrument from the estate of a surveyor who had practices based in Bozeman, Montana and San Marcos, Texas?
Yes, that is the same Wild T-1 that Charles Swart used in the mountains of Montana doing remonumentation work for the Forest Service when he went into private practice in the 1960's after teaching surveying at the college in Bozeman. Here's a photo of him from 2008 :
Note: the new owner of the T-1 will be required to wear jacket and tie when using it.
> Note: the new owner of the T-1 will be required to wear jacket and tie when using it.
Actually, in the field you can substitute a Filson Cruiser Vest for the jacket, but the khaki pants and tie will still be required. On a hot day, you may loosen the tie if you think it necessary and there is no one around to observe you.
Interestingly, Charles revealed that he had two different hats for field wear. The Stetson or hard hat was for Texas and the thing he wore in Montana looked like something you'd wear to a Polka festival in Bavaria.
You can see that man has a lot of class by his well worn Eames chair surrounded by books.
> You can see that man has a lot of class by his well worn Eames chair surrounded by books.
Yes, that's pretty much it. The detail I didn't mention is that Charles's estate would have a Wild T-2 for sale had it not been his instructions to bury it with him in the same coffin. He'd used that T-2 from 1967 until forever, with some few days of Kern DKM1 here and Zeiss Elta46R there.
>
> Yes, that's pretty much it. The detail I didn't mention is that Charles's estate would have a Wild T-2 for sale had it not been his instructions to bury it with him in the same coffin. He'd used that T-2 from 1967 until forever, with some few days of Kern DKM1 here and Zeiss Elta46R there.
Then he would be described as a "Surveyor's surveyor' which is a pretty rare appellation.
I would think that the T1 would have more value because of the original cases. The pyramid wooden case with the Switzerland stamping is a gem in itself.
I would almost double the value that you have attached.
Very nice stuff.
Many a time I drove by his place...
on Ranch Road 12 while heading to the courthouse in San Marcos. His was a modest house or office. Every time I passed I figured I should stop in and introduce myself and get to know the man. I never did. I was not actually aware of his accomplished pedigree until Kent mentioned his passing a short while back. Of course, now it is a moot point and a missed opportunity.
I went to the Surveyor's Convention in San Marcos just last year because it was closer and cheaper than to attend the boundary retracement course in Concan, TX in September, 2012. I mentioned to my wife that the trip to Concan would be a more educational experience, and I did not know how long the "Old Guard" would still be around to teach that class. Of course, Jerry Goodson passed 6 weeks later. Another missed opportunity.
My first employer hired me during the Bicentennial (1976), I was 15 years old. I worked with him most weekends during the school years and full time during the summers. He passed in December, 2009 without me thanking him (or cursing him) for starting me on this traverse known as Land Surveying. I still have a copy of my first paycheck. I was making $3.00/hour. The gear I was trained on: K&Es, Wilds, HPs, etc. are now listed in antiques/collectibles on Ebay.
I am starting to reminisce, or is it ramble.
By the way, that is a nice T-1...if I only had the $$$.
> I would think that the T1 would have more value because of the original cases. The pyramid wooden case with the Switzerland stamping is a gem in itself.
> I would almost double the value that you have attached.
> Very nice stuff.
Yes, the wooden transport case is marvelous as a work of art in itself, of another time than the El Cheapo cases that are now the standard. I like the instrument's provenance, too, knowing where it came from and what it was used for.
Many a time I drove by his place...
> on Ranch Road 12 while heading to the courthouse in San Marcos. His was a modest house or office.
Charles's practice of surveying was the size of a person. He hired an endless string of students at the college in San Marcos until he scaled his activities back later in his life, but whatever left his office under his seal and signature was definitely his work. He was on the ground always and the maps and other products were produced mostly by him.
He experimented with methods and procedures. He was very interested in setting quality survey monuments and was always looking to improve upon already very good practices. He had a great lugger of a gasoline-powered drill, but practically overnight cast it off in favor of one of the light-weight hammer drills that Ryobi made, machines about the weight of a chain saw that would nonetheless sink a 5/8" hole for a rebar into any Hill Country limestone you could point out. I showed him the Ryobi ER-160, but stole quite a few good ideas from him. His habit of numbering his aluminum caps and of giving those same numbers on the maps and written descriptions he produced was excellent. Stole it many years ago.
Dollar to a Doughnut
the slots on the wood screws all line up on that old pyramid shipping case.
Do you still have the T1?
What is the least count of the compass? Can the declination be set?
1965-vintage Wild T1
Since Charles Swart was the founding president of the Montana Association of Registered Land Surveyors (MARLS) it seems that it would be appropriate for MARLS to have an instrument that Charles actually used in Montana.
And since both Mr. Swart and MARLS were always very good to me, I would like to help accomplish that goal.
I hoped to check with the chairman of the MARLS historical committee before acting, but I do not care to bother folks during a holiday weekend so that call will have to wait until Tuesday. MARLS does not have an actual office, so I don't know if they even have a way to own or keep track of a collection of historical items.
Here's my $800 opening bid for this instrument.
GB
> Do you still have the T1?
The T1 is still available. An offer on the British transit has been accepted.
> What is the least count of the compass? Can the declination be set?
The compass is a trough compass, meaning it indicates North only. I haven't examined it carefully, but I believe it would only indicate magnetic North. So, the way one would use the instrument would be to set the circle to the azimuth of magnetic North, clamp the circle and then rotate the alidade until the compass was indicating North. Then, the circle would be unclamped and all circle readings would be approximately either grid or true, depending upon whether the initial circle setting was that of the grid or true azimuth of magnetic North.
I haven't tested the compass on that instrument, but I'd expect that it would have a standard error of about 4 minutes or less.
1965-vintage Wild T1
> Since Charles Swart was the founding president of the Montana Association of Registered Land Surveyors (MARLS) it seems that it would be appropriate for MARLS to have an instrument that Charles actually used in Montana.
> Here's my $800 opening bid for this instrument.
Glenn, I think that is a good offer and I believe that Charles's widow would be very pleased to have the instrument returned to Montana where it saw service. If you'll forward contact information to me via "kentmcm at swbell dot net", we can make further arrangements.
Among the instruments in Charles's collection is a very nice solar compass and tripod that came from Homer Bosworth in Montana. I wonder, given the Montana provenance, whether MARLS might be interested in that as well.
Ok, got it.
