Old Transit

It's not a transit, but rather a level. Unless one of those is a rare model, even ones in good condition don't go for much. Compare on ebay.

Coated, or just stored with too much moisture for a long time??ÿ How are the optics??ÿ Can you see clearly through the telescope? Crosshairs?

@bill93 The optics are half coated with what looks like black spray paint. I cannot see the cross hairs. I was looking to have it restored for myself. Just to have a nice little decoration on a shelve in my home office.

It's a builder's level, and probably not all that old. 50 years? Cleaned up it could probably fetch what you paid for it.?ÿ

It looks like oxidation on aluminum. When the threads are oxidated they will shear off and turn to powder.

If that were solid brass, it would be rather heavy.

Clean it with something that would not remove the existing paint as the original condition is part of the character of the instrument. A 1in paintbrush will clean most of the crud from an instrument and then wipe with a warm soapy cloth. I use a dab of dawn on a wet cloth to clean tough crud.

It's worthless.?ÿ I'd pay a moderate sum for a brass Gurley or K&E actual transit with the compass and the silvered plates type.?ÿ But that's only because I turned hundreds of angles with them, sets of rounds on long control shots and just a forward and reverse flop for line when chopping through the boonies with a steel tape.?ÿ It's not a transit.

Here's a tip for old survey equipment value. Not worth much unless its name starts with a Z, W, L or K.

Mike Marks above is right.

Here is one on ebay, nice and clean.

It may, or may nor sell at this price. https://www.ebay.com/itm/223696203079

Most old surveyors stuff on ebay is overpriced.

N

@jt50Please,

please oh please old transit xpert. Just what are these fabulous instruments you refer to? I mean, I'm?ÿ sure many are wondering just what the mystery is. Who are Z, W, L and K? I figured out the W as Wards but what about the rest?

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OBTW... I have a beautiful 19th century C. L. Berger & Sons mining transit with auxiliary scope and counter weight that I value highly.?ÿ

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Posted by: @2xcntr

Who are Z, W, L and K? I figured out the W as Wards but what about the rest?

Wards :d ?ÿ

Most are obvious, but I wonder, is K both Kern and K&E, or are you limiting it to the very top tier?

@bill93

Dietzgen not on the list?

Posted by: @2xcntr

OBTW... I have a beautiful 19th century C. L. Berger & Sons mining transit with auxiliary scope and counter weight that I value highly.?ÿ

you may value it highly but what about other collectors?

let's play google search:

for Z, we have

https://picclick.com/Business-Industrial/Test-Measurement-Inspection/Levels-Surveying-Equipment/?q=zeiss

highest priced item is $6000 level

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for your Berger, we have

https://picclick.com/Business-Industrial/Test-Measurement-Inspection/?q=C.L.+Berger

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highest priced item is $1000 (?)

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If you can at least get it to look clean, you might be able to sell it online to a non-surveyor who wouldn't know (or care about) the difference and just use it for decorative purposes somewhere. You've seen the crap they use for accessories around remodeled houses on those TV shows.?ÿ It would still look cool if not all corroded.

@jt50

Yes, I see your point, I guess. However, the $6000 level I saw is a Leica. Most collectors would consider that instrument a contemporary and not necessarily a collectible. I mean, there's a few who can afford a modern 1st order level sitting on their bookcase to ogle, but not many. 

Say, did you know the brand name Leica is thought to be a contraction of Leitz and camera?

I guess it's a matter of opinion but when I think of collectible survey equipment I regard the pre WW2 era going back into the eighteen hundreds as the most sought after. With the obvious few exceptions to include some Wild gear, etc.

Don't know why but I have never wanted to own a Zeiss. I like the early American stuff mostly.

Posted by: @nate-the-surveyor

Most old surveyors stuff on ebay is overpriced.

Overpriced from a survey point of view. Priced as decorative bric-a-brac, not so much.

Posted by: @2xcntr

Yes, I see your point, I guess. However, the $6000 level I saw is a Leica. Most collectors would consider that instrument a contemporary and not necessarily a collectible. I mean, there's a few who can afford a modern 1st order level sitting on their bookcase to ogle, but not many.?ÿ

I doubt it very much that the person buying a 1st order Leica level would actually be using it for actual survey work. You could get a digital level with the same precision at 1/3 that price and you could finish the work 3x faster.

From what I see, the earlier traditional black iron British transits & levels?ÿ are going for less than the German & Swiss branded theodolites & later EDMs.?ÿ

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