B. Pike & Son Transit
- Description
- The "B. Pike & Son. New York. Warranted" signature identifies the shop in which this instrument was sold, but not necessarily where it was made, or by whom. It was used between 1831 and 1841, when Benjamin Pike worked with his son Benjamin Jr., and again between 1843 and 1850, when Benjamin Pike worked with his son Daniel. The word "Warranted" represents the Pikes' guarantee of quality. In design and production, however, this instrument is less successful than those made by men who specialized in instruments of this sort.
- As in William J. Young's original surveyor's transit, the horizontal circle here is inside the compass face. The circle, however, is graduated every 30 minutes of arc, and read by vernier to single seconds. The vertical circle is graduated every 1 degree, and read by vernier to 4 minutes.
- Object Name
- transit
- maker
- B. Pike & Son
- Measurements
- overall: 9 in; 22.86 cm
- base plate: 8 1/2 in; 21.59 cm
- vertical circle: 5 in; 12.7 cm
- needle: 6 in; 15.24 cm
- telescope: 9 1/4 in; 23.495 cm
- level vial above the telescope: 4 1/4 in; 10.795 cm
- place made
- United States: New York
- ID Number
- 1980.0254.01
- accession number
- 1980.0254
- catalog number
- 1980.0254.01
- subject
- Measuring & Mapping
- Surveying and Geodesy
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
- Surveying and Geodesy
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- Additional Media
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