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Antique Gurley Surveying Transits
Past Sales Archive
This is just a sample of the many antiques we have sold. Click link to see other Sales Archive Pages on this Site.
We can help you sell quality Antiques Contact Us.
For further info on consigning / selling your antiques
with us please see our FAQ page,
the
Appraisal / Selling Page and the
Selling
Your Collection Pages.
Our current offering of Antiques for sale are at our sister Website Patented-Antiques.com.
W.
L. & E. Gurley #100 Reconnaissance Transit
This transit was offered by Gurley and was designed to
be carried into the field where weight and bulk were primary considerations.
The instrument with the leather covered box and smaller than usual tripod
could be more easily carried in the field. This particular instrument also
came equipped with the seldom seen Beaman Stadia Arc which was designed first
in 1904 and issued a patent in 1906. It was offered by Gurley as an accessory
that could be attached to the vertical circle of instruments to help simplify
and speed up the figuring of elevations and other Stadia related work.
This instrument dates from very close to this date, and like many Gurley instruments
carries no serial # thus making exact dating a task at times.Good + . . . . . $950.00 SOLD
W.
L. & E. Gurley #100 Reconnaissance Transit
Here is another similar to the one above in a different finish. There
is no serial # so it dates prior to 1908. This size transit was
offered by Gurley to be carried into the field where weight and bulk
were primary considerations. The box is nice, and overall it is in
excellent condition. A nice instrument that will display nicely
or be a great addition to the collection.
Good + . . . . . $1050.00 SOLD
W.
& L. E Gurley #28 Light Mountain Transit This
transit is in very nice condition and dates from 1913 as evidenced by the serial
number on the face of the engraved compass. Dating Gurley instruments
can sometimes be a challenge as they did not always have serial #s as a guide.
Often times the vintage of a piece has to be determined by minor changes in
construction or design features, or from something as innocuous as the picture
of the factory that was often included in the box which was changed over the
years as the company grew and prospered. Also determining the exact model
# can be challenging as well as such small differences as the configuration
of the vertical Vernier, or scale could change the number. This transit
looks like a #27 also and could well be one. There is a very nice and
informative site on the Internet called The Virtual Museum of Survey History
than has
dating charts for many of the major makers of surveying instruments
if you need help determining the age of an instrument that you have.
Good . . . . . $950.00 SOLD
W. & L. E Gurley #12 Engineers
Transit This large transit is in very nice
original condition and dates from before the turn of the century or as
far as I can determine. This simple model was offered by Gurley and has
no vertical circle or even a means to lock the scope in place. Note that there
is no long level under the scope as one would expect, and this is proper for
the #12. According to the catalogs I have this is proper, but they
give no explanation or rational for this or where or when such a set-up would
be used.Good . . . . . $795.00 SOLD
W. & L. E Gurley #76 Surveyor's
/ Architects Transit This large Surveyor's
transit is in very nice original condition and dates from near the turn of the
century or before as far as I can determine. Gurley has been in the surveying
instrument business since the mid 1800's and unlike many other scientific instrument
makers, they never, or only sporadically used serial #'s as a means to date
or record the manufacture of their instruments. The scope on this instrument
is 11.5 inches long, and the needle on the compass is over 5". The
serial number on the face of the silvered & engraved compass is 9662.
Dating Gurley instruments can sometimes be a challenge as they did not always
have serial #s as a guide, and if not from after 1908 then the serial # is not
able to be matched exactly to a given date. After 1908 the first two digits
were typically the year of manufacture, but this is not the case with a serial
# from before then.. Often times the vintage of a piece has to be determined
by minor changes in construction or design features, or from something as innocuous
as the picture of the factory that was often included in the box which was changed
over the years as the company grew and prospered.Good . . . . . $1150.00 SOLD
W. & L. E Gurley #16 Surveyor's
/ Engineers Transit This large Engineers transit
is in good original condition. It has developed a rich dark patina.
It is very similar the one pictured above with the addition of a half vertical
circle. Gurley has been in the surveying instrument business since the
mid 1800's and unlike many other scientific instrument makers they only sporadically
used serial #'s as a means to date or record the manufacture of their instruments.
The scope on this instrument is 11.5 inches long, and the needle on the compass
is 5". Often times the vintage of a piece has to be determined by
minor changes in construction or design features, or from something as innocuous
as the picture of the factory that was often included in the box which was changed
over the years as the company grew and prospered. Even determining the
exact model # can be a challenge as such small differences as the configuration
of the vertical Vernier, or scale could change the model number of the transit.
This transit looks like a #16 in the illustrations of the catalog I am looking
in, but could be some other designation. Because of its size and design
though, there is no doubt that is the designation of a Engineers transit given
the vertical circle. The optics are clear, crosshairs present, and the
motions are all free but a bit stiff The box is OK but as is typical
shows signs of use and age.
Good . . . . . $1050.00 SOLD
W.
& L. E Gurley Surveyor's Transit This large
surveying transit is in very nice original condition and dates from before the
turn of the century, and is somewhat earlier than the model above. It
has many of the same features as the one above, and I believe they would be
the same model number, just from a different era. The most noticeable
differences between the two are the configuration of the standards, this one
having the earlier straight A frame, and the fact that the bottom leveling base
is detachable and stores separately in the box unlike later models where it
is all one unit. I do not know the exact time frame for these different
changes, but they are indicative of an earlier instrument that probably dates
from the 1880's or perhaps a bit earlier. The optics are clear,
crosshairs present, and the motions are all free The box is nice
as well but as is typical shows some signs of use and age.
Good . . . . . $850.00 SOLD
Gurley
Engineers Transit The needle
is 4" long and the scope is 8 3/4" long. Overall the transit is
approx. 12" tall. This transit was cleaned and buffed a few years ago,
and is beginning to mellow back to a less shiny state. There is
a small plaque attached that says that this was once #11 of the Tenn.
Highway Dept. I would guess that it dates from the early part of
the last century. It comes in its original wood dovetailed box, that someone
has added newer hook type hasps to as the key is gone. The tripod was
refinished as well and looks great. This super looking piece displays
very nicely, and will look great set up in the office or den.
Good . . . . . $850.00 SOLD
W.
& L. E. Gurley Surveyor's Transit This
compact little Gurley transit is by the best known and most renowned maker of
surveying instruments that ever produced instruments in America. The level
bubbles / vials are all good, the compass needles swings freely as it should.
It seems to be fully functional, and the main detraction is the lack of finish
on the aluminum protective shroud covering the vertical Vernier on the side.
It is a later instrument from those above, as evidenced by the style and finish,
and probably dates from after WWII. It is in as found condition and has
not been cleaned or adjusted. The Mahogany box has been repaired ( as
can be seen in the pics) but looks OK. It will make a nice display piece,
or a good user, but I have not used it myself or tested it.
Good . . . . . $395.00 SOLD
W&
L. E. Gurley Mountain & Mining Transit w/ Burt Solar Attachment
This form of surveying instrument, a transit equipped
with a factory Solar Attachment or auxiliary mining scope is one of the most
desirable and sought after of all surveying related devices ever offered.
The idea was that in certain areas the magnetic deviation was so great and the
errors it could cause so great that these unusual and significant devices were
developed as a way to compensate for this effect, and enabled the user to find
a true reference or location using the horizon and the position of the sun instead
of the standard methods employing just the compass. Even though the concept
has been around for many years very few of them were actually made for use in
the field. Each major company that made surveying instruments had a version
of their transit that came equipped with one form or another of these devices.
The two best known names in this field were Gurley and Keuffel & Esser, but
Berger, Buff, Dietzgen and others offered them as well for their instruments.
Different attachments were known by the name of the inventor, and the versions
designed and developed by Sagemuller, Smith, & Burt being the best know attachments.
This instrument is in very nice overall condition and dates from the early part
of the last century. The serial number on it indicates the date of manufacture
as being 1913. It has never been cleaned and the brass has a wonderful
mellow patina. Gurley was located in Troy New York at this time, and their
reputation for the manufacture of quality instruments was unsurpassed.
The box and leather covering are nice as well noting some of the sewn seams
coming undone and the small straps showing wear. This Solar Transit is
surely one of the most striking and graphic of forms of surveying instrument
that are available not to mention one of the most avidly sought. Rarely
seen or offered for sale one of these instruments will move your collection
to the head of the line.
Good . . . . . $2850.00 SOLD
W&
L. E. Gurley Mountain & Mining Solar Transit w/o Attachment
This Gurley light mountain transit is
designed to accept a Burt Solar Attachment and has the mounting post for
the solar attachment, but it is long gone. The box and leather covering are nice. This Solar Transit is
surely one of the most striking and graphic of forms of surveying instrument
that are available not to mention one of the most avidly sought. Rarely
seen or offered for sale one of these instruments will move your collection
to the head of the line if you have the missing piece. .
Good . . . . . $1250.00 SOLD
This is just a sample of the many antiques we have sold. Click link to see other Sales Archive Pages on this Site.
We can help you sell quality Antiques Contact Us.
For further info on consigning / selling your antiques
with us please see our FAQ page,
the
Appraisal / Selling Page and the
Selling
Your Collection Pages.
Our current offering of Antiques for sale are at our sister Website Patented-Antiques.com.
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(1998 -
2009)
Larry & Carole Meeker