1860s Nautical Objects

Quality ship's compass from Boston maker E.S. Ritchie. Heavy brass bowl is engraved with the maker's name and patent dates: Sept. 9, 1862, and Apr. 7, 1863, with a cylindrical compas...

Scrimshaw of an engraved whale tooth, depicting three-masted sailboat rowboat with 5 whalers and small island with palm trees, rocks and a hut. On the back inside a CAP cartouche. ...

Scrimshaw of an engraved whale tooth dated 1861, depicting on one side large sailboat with sails unfurled of excellent workmanship and underneath the name SHIP NOLAN. On the back, a ...

Scrimshaw of an engraved whale tooth dated 1867, depicting whaling scene with whaler in the background, rowboat with 4 whalers and whale with the bowstring twisted between the teet...

Scrimshaw of a vertically engraved whale tooth dated 1868 depicting a lighthouse in the foreground with rocks and sailing ship , height 10 cm - inches 3.95. On the back, double stars...

Brass quintant signed Whyle Thomson & C. Galsogw, an instrument of fine workmanship, dating from around the mid-19th century. The instrument is complete with optics and housed in it...

Eighteenth century ship navigators octant with label from H. Duren, 31 South St, New York. Ebony frame with brass arm, filters, peepsight and mirror. Fitted to a kidney shaped box wi...

Brass log in the shape of a harpoon, signed T. Walker’s Patent Harpoon Ship Log A 1 London, from the second half of the 19th century. It is an ancient nautical instrument, very rare and with a characteristic shape, which measured the distance and speed of a ship. He was thrown overboard and dragged behind the ship itself; rotating thanks to its propeller, it transmitted the number of revolutions made on itself to the three dials made on an enameled metal plate placed in the center of the log; the quadrants reported measurements in miles from 0 to 100 in tens, from 0 to 10 in units, from 0 to 1 in quarters. The data was then read every hour to also derive the speed. In good condition, fully functional and mounted on a custom-made brass wooden base. Length 50 cm – 19.7 inches, propeller width 14 cm - 5.5 inches, log body diameter 4,5 cm - 1.7 inches. Shipping is insured by Lloyd's London; our gift box is free. In the past centuries the attempt to measure the speed of the ships was especially hindered by the lack of tools for the measurement of time of sufficient precision: throwing a piece of wood into the sea from the bow of a ship and measuring the time it took to get at the stern, it was possible to obtain some information on the speed of the ship, but with many errors and inaccuracies. The principle of mechanical patent log was shown to the Royal Society in 1699 by Robert Hooke, but the first model produced for commercial use was patented just in 1802 by Edward Massey, uncle of Thomas Walker, that succeeded him in business. Thomas Walker patented his first Walker log...

Brass log in the shape of a harpoon, signed Walker’s A2 Harpoon Ship Log Patented 18th Sept. 1866. It is an ancient nautical instrument, very rare and with a characteristic shape, which measured the distance and speed of a ship. He was thrown overboard and dragged behind the ship itself; rotating thanks to its propeller, it transmitted the number of revolutions made on itself to the three dials made on an enameled metal plate placed in the center of the log; the quadrants reported measurements in miles from 0 to 100 in tens, from 0 to 10 in units, from 0 to 1 in quarters. The data was then read every hour to also derive the speed. In very good condition, fully functional and mounted on a custom-made brass wooden base. Length 54 cm - 20 inches, propeller width 16 cm - 5.9 inches, log body diameter 5 cm - 2 inches. Shipping is insured by Lloyd's London; our gift box is free. In the past centuries the attempt to measure the speed of the ships was especially hindered by the lack of tools for the measurement of time of sufficient precision: throwing a piece of wood into the sea from the bow of a ship and measuring the time it took to get at the stern, it was possible to obtain some information on the speed of the ship, but with many errors and inaccuracies. The principle of mechanical patent log was shown to the Royal Society in 1699 by Robert Hooke, but the first model produced for commercial use was patented just in 1802 by Edward Massey, uncle of Thomas Walker, that succeeded him in business. Thomas Walker patented his first Walker log...

Lignum Vitae mast head truck or "top" from the famous Schooner yacht "Dauntless". The imbedded brass pulleys are used to feed lines to raise pennants and si...

Brass telescope with leather-covered handle, focusing on three extensions, complete with dust protection tab and sunshade extension. Maximum length 45 cm, minimum 14 cm, focal diamet...

Brass log in the shape of a harpoon, signed T. Walker's Patent Harpoon Ship Log A 1 London, from the second half of the 19th century. It is an ancient nautical instrument, very rare ...