This is a neat Gurley Vernier Transit Compass (VTC). Gurley called this model of transit different things - the VTC, the Vernier Transit and the Transit Compass. I like VTC.

A Gurley VTC is essentially a Gurley vernier compass but with a telescope instead of sight vanes. The key thing to look for - a VTC lacks a horizontal circle. The early Gurley manuals describe how much better a VTC is than a comparable vernier compass with sight vanes - see the pics at the bottom of this webpage for all the reasons why Gurley says a VTC is better.

This Gurley VTC has a nice patina and would look nice on display. The transit comes with everything seen in the pics, but does not include a tripod. To really appreciate this instrument, please take a look at the 360 Degree Spinner for this instrument.

Based on the design features of this instrument, I believe the VTC was sometime around 1880. I used Brian Aregood's book on dating Gurley transits to date the instrument. Great book. Below you will see the Gurley prices in 1880 for VTC's. The VTC offered here has a 5 inch needle and an 11.5 inch inch telescope. VTC's with 5 inch needles had the vernier mechanism located inside the compass. The 6 inch VTC's had external verniers.

The optics on the VTC are nice. The crosshairs are VERY thick, however. Definitely not made from the spider webs of black widows….

Gurley VTC's were not hot-sellers back in the day. Most surveyors who wanted a transit opted for a higher priced but more functional instrument (one that could measure independently of the needle). Whatever the reason, Gurley VTC's do not come up for sale very often, and command a meaningful premium when the do. A nice Gurley VTC sold at a Skinner auction for nearly $2100 in 2019, for example (Skinner calls the instrument a Reconnaissance Transit, but the instrument is clearly a VTC). I sold my last VTC in the $1500 to $2000 range.

The VTC offered here has its original cap and sunscreen for the telescope. But the VTC has a few flaws as well: cracked compass glass as shown in a pic below, no tripod or staff adapters, and a missing retaining pin on the socket area. (If you look at the 1880 Gurley catalogue pic below, you will see a thumbscrew and a retaining pin circled in blue - the VTC offered here has its thumbscrew but lacks the retaining pic). Finally, above the level on the North end of the compass, you will see two small threaded holes. I have no idea what those were for. I don't see anything attached there in the Gurley reference materials I have.

I have a good deal of information about Gurley, including some production information, posted on my Gurley Maker Webpage.

360 Degree Spinner View - With ZOOM View