Gurley Surveyor's Compass
- Description
- The "W. & L. E. Gurley Troy, N. Y." signature-with its v–shaped trenches and lines of varying weight-was clearly engraved by hand. That means that this example was made between 1852, when the Gurleys began in business, and before the middle of 1876, when their new engraving machine was up and running. A level vial is on each arm, and an outkeeper is on the south arm. The sides of the vertical sights have a series of divisions, by which angles of elevation or depression can be read. The compass belonged to Bowdoin College. New, it cost $35.
- Ref: W. & L. E. Gurley, A Manual of the Principal Instruments Used in American Engineering and Surveying (Troy, N. Y., 1871), pp. 14–22.
- W. Skerritt, "W. & L. E. Gurley's Engraving Machine," Rittenhouse 11 (1997): 97–100.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- W. & L. E. Gurley
- place made
- United States: New York, Troy
- Measurements
- overall length: 15 in; 38.1 cm
- needle: 5 in; 12.7 cm
- ID Number
- PH*329728
- catalog number
- 329728
- accession number
- 278336
- Credit Line
- Bowdoin College
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
- Measuring & Mapping
- Surveying and Geodesy
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Facebook