I have a K & E Transit. I'm not sure if it is a Paragon, Jig, or a Preliminary transit. The face plate reads Keuffel & Esser Co, below that are the numbers 23751, at the bottom above the "S" is New York. I can't fins any information for the number. The box has a number 26751 on it... same thing, nothing that matches what I have.
Any help would be greatful.
According to this link it was manufactured in 1911 or 1912. Don't know the models, although that photo looks like a smaller 'mountain' or 'forest' transit.
This transit dates to about 1911. It would appear to be a model 5129N - Preliminary Survey Transit.
However, it is hard to be sure without additional information. If you would send or post here the following information I can identify more precisely:
- length of Compass needle
- diameter of verticle circle
- diamater of horizontal circle
- length of telescope
- diameter of objective lens
- weight of instrument
With that info I can probably tell you much more.
I'll give you a nickel for it 😉
Do you know what the numbers on the compass mean? Is that the serial number? And is there another place on the transit that I can find numbers?
Yes, that is the serial number. It appears that your compass and box got swapped at sometime in the past with another instrument / box. That is not uncommon.
Sometimes K&E put model numbers on the instrument, but not always.
Not sure of the model or year, but that looks a whole lot like the gun my survey career began with.