Today, I added a solar compass made by William J. Young & Co. to my collection. The serial number is 4257. Preliminary research dates the instrument from the period 1866 to 1870 based upon the firm name. Does anyone know a more definitive date for this instrument?
I know it belonged to a famous Texas surveyor named J.J. Goodfellow who was at different times both a Deputy Surveyor of Tarrant County and County Surveyor of Tom Green County, but considering when Mr. Goodfellow was born and the approximate dates of manufacture based upon the firm name inscribed on the compass, it seems unlikely that he was the original owner.
Thanks, Dave. Based upon what I take to be the interpolated series from known dates of manufacture, that would put my solar compass at about 1869. That pretty well cinches the likelihood that Goodfellow wasn't the first owner of this instrument.
Dave Ingram...
if you have a Staff Compass with ball joint and Jacob staff you want to sell, let me know.
I'm looking for something functional, not necessarily an antique.
I would trust you more than the average clueless ebay antique dealer.
I see that the Texas Surveyors Association biography of Mr. Goodfellow has a typo. He was apparently born in 1856, not 1865, but that still doesn't make him old enough in 1869 to be buying a top-of-the-line solar compass.
Dave Ingram...
I've got a couple of items in mind that might be of interest. Give me a call the first of the week and we can discuss some items. Also, give some thought to a "3 legged staff" - aka tripod. I think you might be happier in the long run.
Phone is 540 828 2778
What would a 19th century Texan want a solar compass for?
Didn't they just strike off some fictional declination and go off across country measuring in approximate Varas?
> What would a 19th century Texan want a solar compass for?
That is a good question. It was an instrument that wasn't widely used in Texas. Considering that Mr. Goodfellow began his career in North Texas, I suspect it was probably used after 1869 in some of the original surveys in the Panhandle. The compass I have was originally fitted with a telescope that could be mounted to replace one of the sight vanes, a feature that would have been very useful in the wide open plains.
Dave Ingram...
> if you have a Staff Compass with ball joint and Jacob staff you want to sell, let me know.
I'd hold out for a W-K Forester's Compass, David. The last time I checked, parts were still available for them.
Dave Ingram...
okay.
Dave Ingram...
This looks like the identical compass I bought in about 1983 for $250 or so.
Warren_Knight Forester's Staff Compass
I set up my Dietzgen 1' transit in the backyard tonight.
First I looked at Venus, a real nice crescent.
Then I sighted Polaris; I shined a light into the objective so I can see the cross hairs.
Observed vertical angle at 38-02.
Observed compass bearing (14-30E) at N 1/4 to 1/2 W (hard to read with the telescope and standards in the way).
Calculated azimuth to Polaris:
359-28
Calculated vertical angle to Polaris:
38-04
The point was to check the compass; I would say it's pretty good.
A bio of another famous Texas surveyor, Brookes Baker, mentions that J.J. Goodfellow and Baker worked on surveying the extensive Swenson land holdings in West Texas in about 1904. That would possibly have been the ranches of Austin merchant and West Texas rancher Swante Magnus Swenson.
1869 Young & Company Solar Compass - Photos
That ca. 1869 solar compass appears to be in functional condition.
The vials are intact and sound and the needle even shimmers on the pivot when released, a sign of a sharp pivot. It looks as if with some minimal work it will be able to operate again, which is remarkable considering it probably hasn't been used since the 1920's at the latest.
1869 Young & Company Solar Compass - Photos
Kent you need to use that instrument then file your report here.
1869 Young & Company Solar Compass - Photos
Well, Step One is to research cleaning methods. It has some original finish on it and the usual patterns of field use where the original lacquer was worn away by forty or fifty years of handling. I'm certainly not going to take any of that surface, original finish or wear, off the instrument, but it does have some dust and grime that it probably would be better off without.
The other detail is finding a tripod. I have the instrument sitting on an 1880-vintage Gurley compass tripod in the photo, but the solar compass has a leveling head that mounts on a threaded tripod. Considering how scarce 19th century tripods are, I'll probably have to have something fabricated.
1869 Young & Company Solar Compass - Photos
That is a nice looking instrument. Looks intact and useable with some care and cleaning.
Shame it looks as if it were laying around in a barn for many years.
Originally it was probably kept clean with a sham cloth and a horsehair brush.
When cleaning old transits I never used anything other than hot water to clean the parts. Will take the crud off and leave the paint and other finishes.
Evaporates quickly and there should be nothing to rust.
Of course, kept as it is would be fitting if you simply wanted to put it on a shelf.
1869 Young & Company Solar Compass - Photos
Kent - If you are interested, send me a picture of the tripod head type you are looking for. I may find one in the surveyors estate that I am helping to liquidate. I have a rough photo of some of the many antique tripods he collected over the years. I tried to post a picture last week, but it was too large to upload.
Kent
check out this Anthony Lamb Compass...
I have no idea how to tell if something like this is real or not, particularly on ebay.
1869 Young & Company Solar Compass - Photos
Jeff, this is what the leveling base of the instrument looks like. The short 1-1/4" dia. x 14 threaded stub at the right side of the photo is what would screw into a tripod head, I think.
So, I'd expect that the tripod head would be flat with a threaded 1-1/4" dia. hole in it, 14 threads/inch.
Let me know if you have anything like that and I'd be glad to make a decent offer for it.