I was wondering if anyone knows whether or not the Lietz sales records are still in existence? If so, who do you contact?
Our historical society has a mountain transit, serial number 5624, that was used by R.B. Gould. Gould left a huge volume of quality work here between 1910 and 1940 and it would be interesting to see if this gun was purchased new by Gould or if he picked it up used on eBay.
According to http://surveyantiques.com/ the Lietz serial numbers fall in this range of dates:
#5624 would fall in the 1910-1911 range.
From the same website here is a refurbished 1906 Lietz Mountain transit:
The Historical Society's gun and legs are in pretty darn good shape and it was a kick to handle an instrument that I've spent a good part of my life retracing.
Here's the crew w/gun in the 1920s
and here is the setup yesterday morning:
#5624 on compass face:
The focus knob on the side of the scope - when you focus it your thumb polishes the brass the same as the guy who was running it 100 years ago:
The transit does not screw onto a threaded tripod head. It has a "friction coupling" (found this on the web):
The transit turns less than a 1/4 and then this springloaded doo-hickey on the tripod locks it into place:
Beautiful legs:
When the scope is plunged the eyepiece cover falls into place:
Business end of the gun:
Not sure if this is the same gun. Same style of legs. Burns, Ore. early 1930s:
That instrument, cleaned and adjusted, would still be usable today. Unlike our electronic marvels with their planned obsolescence of 7-10 years.
Any records prior to 1906 were burned up in the fire caused by the 1906 earthquake of San Francisco. I have looked for the sales records and have chatted with Bud Uzes when he was alive. Bud never found the records and neither have I. I helped compile the serial number list that you posted. Not much but a start as to dating the Lietz instruments. I wish you good luck on finding the records.
We have two mountain transits in our inventory.
Lietz 15329
K+E 27232
The Lietz has a solar right angle eyepiece, really a beautiful instrument. I was in the office of the Chief of our Mobile Equipment Program. He was about to retire. I noticed the instrument on his bookshelf...he said take it, I'm retiring. It needs to be cleaned, very stiff.
The K+E, not sure where that came from, it just showed up one day. It also needs to be cleaned, very stiff.
I haven't been able to convince management to sink a couple of thousand dollars into those instruments. There is a company in Southern California that does work on those.
Thanks Tim. From the survey antiques website I gathered that records were sporadic. Maybe some of Gould's heirs will come up with a receipt. He was thorough and exacting in everything he did, so if no receipt survives, its his heir's fault and not his.
> I helped compile the serial number list that you posted. Not much but a start as to dating the Lietz instruments.
This site never fails to amaze me.
Mike,
If you look at the antique surveing site you should find a Lietz receipt for a transit Inst 5919 dated Jan. 1912. This transit was on consignment to a shop. Yes the dates are hit and miss. I used the early Lietz Catalogues for testimonials that were given along with serial numbers. I also used some information from Bud Uzes. I watch ebay looking for information on Lietz. It seems to be few and far between. Lietz stopped making instuments on or about 1947. They went on selling other makers transits and levels.
