Giant Clam Shell from the South Seas

An exceptional example of mid-20th-century naval navigation technology, this U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships Self-Synchronizing Alidade Pelorus Stand was manufactured by the renowned Sperry Gyroscope Company, Brooklyn, New York, a key supplier of precision instruments for the U.S. military. This instrument, Mark XXXI, Mod 0, Serial No. 320420, was built under Navy contract NXss 17019 and bears its original inspection tags, confirming it passed rigorous Navy testing before deployment. The pelorus stand is crafted in a striking combination of polished aluminum and solid brass, featuring a protective domed brass cover that reveals a beautifully preserved gyrocompass repeater dial. Designed to interface with a ship’s gyrocompass, the self-synchronizing mechanism allowed navigators to take precise bearings on landmarks, celestial objects, or other ships—critical for accurate positioning before the advent of modern satellite navigation. This piece reflects the height of WWII and early Cold War-era maritime engineering, used aboard larger Navy vessels to aid in navigation and fire control plotting. Sperry Gyroscope was synonymous with precision during this era, and their equipment remains iconic among naval historians and collectors. The instrument retains: • Original builder’s plate...

19th C. bas-relief panel which is a type of sculpture where the design in only slightly raised from the background surface, creating a shallow, low-relief effect. The relief depicts...