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Home | Dealers | Charles Edwin Inc. | Early 19th century ebony octant with ivory scales, brass fittings, and the original mahogany box, labelled Henry Hughes, London
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Early 19th century ebony octant with ivory scales, brass fittings, and the original mahogany box, labelled Henry Hughes, London |
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| Artist: |
Not Available |
| Category: |
Marine |
| Date: |
circa 1835-1845
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| Signature(s): |
Henry Hughes, 59 Fenchurch St., London |
| SubType: |
Instruments |
| Origin: |
England-UK |
| Subject: |
Instruments
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| Era: |
19th Century |
| Height: |
12 inches |
| Width: |
9.5 inches |
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| The octant is an instrument used by navigators, at sea or on land, that uses a small mirror to bring two images together--those of the sun and the horizon, for instance--to determine latitude by observing the altitude of celestial bodies. It has a fixed arc of 45°, one-eighth of a circle, mated with a scale and reflecting system that measures angles of 90° or more. John Hadley (1682-1744) described an instrument of this sort to the Royal Society of London in 1731 and obtained a British patent in 1734. Accordingly, octants are sometimes known as Hadley quadrants.
This vernier octant with brass arm is absolutely complete, in very good original condition, and in full working order. The frame is solid ebony and the scales are engraved ivory. The glass elements are all intact and original. While the instrument itself is unsigned, the box bears the label of Henry Hughes, 59 Fenchurch Street, London.
Henry Hughes was a second generation instrument maker of repute who began working under his own name about 1830 and moved to the Fenchurch Street address in Tower Hill about 1835. The company is still in existence today. The label denotes Hughes as a maker of "Optical, Nautical, and Mathematical" Instruments. When the frame was dismantled for cleaning, a paper label for the firm of James Gilkerson & Co., 8 Postern Row, Tower Hill was found being used as a spacer under the pivot for the arm. This could actually be the original maker of the instrument itself, Hughes acting as the seller, or from a later repair. The two addresses were within a very few hundred yards of one another; Postern Row no longer exists.
For details see our website, charlesedwin.com
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