BACKGROUND: The sextant was originally developed in the mid-1700's as a navigational aid for sailors by utilizing the tool and a celestial body to gauge their positioning. Although other navigational aids and techniques had been developed by WWII the sextant was still an essential navigation tool as part of a ships basic navigation aids.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Finely tooled and molded, light weight, black finished, alloy construction drum sextant with molded bakelite and glass fittings features a skeletonized base frame with four support legs to the bottom edge. Unfortunately three of the four support legs have broken off, but are included. The roughly triangular shaped frame has a semi-rounded, outside edge, with impressed, white degree markings from -5 degrees to +137 degrees, representing 130 degrees of the graduated arc of a circle. The top of the frame features a fixed, horizon mirror, a movable, index mirror, a telescope and two sets of adjustable, light muting lenses, one with three lenses and the other with four. The frame also has an adjustable, central, index, arm, to the top, representing the radius of a circle, with the index mirror at the point of the triangular shaped frame. The index arm extends out to the semi-circular graduated arc edge with a pressure locking clip and an opened view port to see the degree markings. The central index arm and, as a result, the index mirror, adjust to the correct position as required. The operator holds the sextant vertically while viewing through the telescope to place the horizon on the horizon mirror. Then the adjustable index arm and index mirror are moved to a position until the navigational aid, (sun or star), is reflected in the index mirror and in turn reflected on to the horizon in the horizon mirror. This determines the altitude of the navigational aid, (sun or star), on the graduated arc. This altitude is compared to degrees of latitude until a match is made and signifies the exact latitude of the operator. All the components are intact and still function and the telescope optics are still quite crisp and clear. The sextant retains over 95% of its original black finish while the telescope retains all of its textured, simulated black leather covering. The sextant is well marked with the impressed, white manufacturer’s logo, name and location, "C. Plath Hamburg", dual numerical markings, "2126", and, "17839", which are in likelihood the manufacturer’s serial number and the Kriegsmarine issue numeral. The sextant also has an impressed, white eagle over, "M", indicating Kriegsmarine issue. Also included are four assorted cleaning clothes, a telescope lens cover and a small allen key. The sextant comes housed in a roughly, 12 3/8" square, 6 1/2" tall, nicely constructed, stained slat softwood case with screw retainers and internal mortised corner joints. The case has a fold back top lid with a staggered, aluminum bar hinge to the reverse and dual, swivel, aluminum closure hooks and corresponding hook, retaining screws to the obverse. The obverse of the case also has a tooled, swivel, aluminum carrying handle, with a tied on magnetic sheet metal key and a small, aluminum panel with a key hole and an internal locking mechanism. The key and the internal locking mechanism still function. One side of the case has most of a glued on, tan paper, shipping label with black printed multi-language script. The script on the label indicates the sextant was being shipped from Oslo Norway to Copenhagen Denmark, with four transit points in between. The label also has a faint, blurred, inkstamp that appears to be Norwegian. The natural wood interior has lathed and carved securing panel to the bottom center and two, small, accessory compartments. The interior of the top lid has a screwed on, clear celluloid plastic window designed for a contents or instructional label. Nice example in overall very good condition.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $2,975.00