A very good scarce Stuart’s Marine Distance Meter No 782 retailed by G. Lee & Son, The Hard, Portsmouth c1890

Marine distance meter constructed in steel and brass, and finished with celluloid facings bearing ranges / distance marked in cables, constant value selector, lens holder and adjustment wheel to side, the verso with notes table. Convexo-concave optical split image ranging lenses. Detachable monocular with semi bayonet thread, focus adjustment.

All contained in its correct mahogany case, green felt faced stretchers. Swinging catch security.

Condition: Of those seen this is one of the best: complete – most lack the telescope; working – most have broken optics or other faults. The instrument retains most of its finish, the celluloid facia panels remain undistorted and without cracks or damage. The optics clear and bright. The box in good condition with the benefit of a replaced escutcheon and some re-finishing to lid which has minor shrinkage cracks.

Comments: These are interesting instruments, employing the principle of split image range finding. In this instance, range is deduced by measuring mast height over the sea or deck as these are known values – a basic computation of range is then derived from the radially divergent scale marked in cables.

A very collectable item.