Posted by Mike
on 10/16/2008, 21:08:13
208.34.12.17
This is a nice very old wooden surveying compass attributed to Thomas Greenough (not signed) circa 1760. The compass measures 14 3/4 inches long and the compass has a 4 3/4 inch needle. On the inside of the cover is a very old paper glued that says "Made by Thos. Greenough Jr. Boston May 8, 1738 mathmatacial insrument maker ... From the 1865 Edition of New England Hist. + Gen Register ..." There is also a compass with this same compass card attributed to Greenough on pages 89 & 90 in Silvio Bedini's book, Early American Scientific Instruments and Their Makers. Thomas Greenough Sr. and Jr. made compasses in Boston during the period beginning about 1730 to about 1780. It has no box or tripod, only the sights, compass cover, and leather tie to hold the cover on the compass for transport you see in the photos. As you can see in the photos the compass glass is cracked but the compass has what appears to be it's original puddy holding in the glass and the original compass needle. The sights are numbered in the old style to show which side of the compass they fit. Price is $2250.00 and I will pay postage. I can email more photos on request.
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