General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Wood/ brass/ ivory/ wood box

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

30.0 cm

Width

25.0 cm

Height

6.9 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Exploration and Survey

Category

Measurement-distance

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Cook

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

City

London

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Nova Scotia

Period

Mid 19TH c. FF?

Canada

Octant originally belonged to Samuel O'Donnell (1801-1883) of Amherst, Nova Scotia. He was the deputy crown land surveyor of Cumberland County. The octant was passed down to his granddaughter, who gave it to Beaver Hall Antiques in 1945.

Function

Used in navigation to measure the altitude of the sun, moon, stars etc, especially at sea, in order to determine latitude & longitude.

Technical

Octant manufactured by Wm Cook. Octants were a huge advantage over previously used instruments to determine a position at sea. They were simple instruments based on the application of optics. The scale reads from -10 degrees to 110 degrees, and the vernier reads from 0 to 20 units.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Ivory insert with incised black writing reading 'COOK*LONDON'/ Ivory inserts with incised black scales & numbers/ paper mfr's label on box lid interior reading 'Wm COOK/ MATHEMATICAL/ INSTRUMENT MAKER/ 178 High Street, Shadwell,/ LONDON/ Makes and Repairs,/ Sextants, Quadrants & Telescopes/ Improved Azimuth, Amplitude, Storm, Steering & Hanging Compasses/ McCulloch's Patent Azimuth & Steering Compasses'/ Typed memo & newspaper clipping affixed to lid interior (see supp.inf.)/ painted design on lid exterior consisting of white flag pole with red & white flag & red pennant.

Missing

N/A

Finish

Dark brown lacquered? wood/ box painted dark brown

Decoration

N/A