While on vacation recently in Virginia we did a little Patriot Picking. It was nice to not be on a schedule so we stopped at Flea Markets, Antique Stores and anyplace that looked like it had old stuff. I thought I would share with you all a few of the items I picked while I was out.

 

I ran across this awesome item I'm sure John Morris will be interested in. This is a Stanley London Abney Angle Sexton in the original box.

 

 

This was made by William Ford Robinson Stanley of London. His company was William Ford Stanley and Co. Ltd. This Abney is solid Brass and is circa 1935-1940.

 

All the level vials are in working order and the telescope has a level in it that also is in working condition.

 

 

A magnifying glass makes it easy to read the scale as you move it in either direction.

 

There is a level on the backside and it too is in working condition.

 

This was such a cool find I had to bring it home with me.

 

I was at another location and found this Belcher Bros Shoe Stick.

 

I found one of these sometime back that folds in the middle This one does not fold. I'm doing a little more research to determine which one might be older, the solid or the folding model.

 

Just as before on one side is the shoe scale.

 

And the other side is a ruler scale.

 

Belcher Bros rules are considered rare to find and i have lucked out and now have two. 

 

 

They started making rules around 1820 and continued until 1890. Again I am continuing to do more research on this one. I was telling the person about it after I made the purchase and he had no idea this was what it was. 

 

And last by not least, I found this wonderful wood and brass 20" square.

 

 

It is made by Kerby and Bro. Fulton St. New York.

 

Business operated from 1847 into the 1940's

51 Fulton Street, New York, USA

Kerby & Bro,Makers - Manufacturer of custom wood measuring devices. 1860 New York City directory showed them at 51 Fulton St., N.Y.. They made Rope Gages, Shrink rules, Tailor rules and custom slide rules for Forrest M. Towl. Owners were Daniel & Joseph Kerby, Kerby & Brother 50 Fulton St; The Trow New York Directory March 1890. Later the firm consisted of Robert D. & Joseph J. Kerby listed in the Trow New York Directory March 1909 From International Slide Rule Museum website.

 

The scale is on both sides and it in very good condition. This is just as I found it, I haven't done any cleaning on it.

 

So these were a few of my Patriot Pickings while on vacation in Virginia. 

I'll some some more items to share later but for now, it is back to Patriot Picking!!

 

 

 

Well I must say it's all awesome! Love it all!

 

And you know it John! That Abney is pretty danged cool! Some engineer sections still use them today, but the Abney's of today don't even measure up in class to the one you have there. We also have Abney attachments for our hand levels we use frequently. Though a surveyor would really have no use for the Abney attachement in our modern world of gadgets and electronics, I think road builders that perform engineering on the fly would have more use for it than a surveyor. Also anyone who wants to measure the height of a ground feature would have good use of that level.

However I did use one in my school of surveying to learn the basics and use of the Abney. We learned to survey on very archaic instruments so we could appreciate the roots of our profession, and where it all comes from.

 

If you'll notice the main arc has a 90 degree scale with a 10 minute accuracy. There is a secondary scale there that I am trying to figure out, typically on modern day Abney's we'd see a percent of grade on that secondary scale from 1 to 100. I just did a quick google and found that your secondary scale is indeed a percent of grade, it's just numerated differently. At first I thought it was an attempt to insert seconds in the measurement, but for a level with a 10 minute accuracy that would have been impossible and fruitless.

 

For a run down on what you'd most likely see on a crew today here is a Google link to the modern day Abney at Google Abney Search. I know you performed this search John already, I just put it up here for folks not familiar with this to see.

 

Man, thanks for sharing John, that is one cool instrument!

 

 

 

 

Oh ya, by the way John, with engineer and survey instrument collections, removing the old patina and polishing the instrument back to its brass glory, is very acceptable and adds value to that instrument. By polishing and fully restoring the instrument to working condition is highly desirable. Unlike with old woodworking hand tools, the patina is best left in place to hold value.

It's kind of like the old machinery restorations you see, the value is significantly increased with a fully restored 1920's table saw with new paint, the engineers instruments are in the same category. I know you more than likely to leave the patina on it as is, I would too. But just in case you get the hankering to get out the Brasso polish and luster that baby up, your doing absolutely no harm to it, your actually increasing the value of it.

Nice piece John!

So Cool!! Love that sexton!  

No pics because they are packed in the car but, I bought an aluminum alloy folding carpenter's rule by Lufkin and a hone that is very hard and smooth. It's about 3X5 and maybe 3/8 thick. On one face is a recess about 2 1/2wide by 1 inch. In the recess is the name of the maker. 

When we get home, I'll post pics. 

I only bought them because I'd never seen anything like them. 

I also found three hayme knobs that I use for cane tops for vets. If anyone knows where more can be found, please let me know.

 

Still no picks but, I did identify that hone. It's a barber's razor hone. Might be ok for chisels and my Stew Mac scrapers.