This is a really nice 1904 K&E Mining Transit purchased and used by William Lacey in the Los Angeles area . I have a fair amount of information regarding Mr Lacey, and you can read that history here.

Late 19th and early 20th century mining transits with two telescopes ocasionally pop up for sale. Berger had a large share of the two telescope mining transit market (based on a study of transits used by USGLO Mineral Surveyors. Other makers with some two telescope mining transit marketshare included Gurley, Buff, Lietz, and K&E.

The K&E Mining Transit offered here is noteworthy for two reasons. First, this K&E has the very cool K&E patented twisted standards - which only K&E offered for sale. K&E thought that the twisted frame was an important evolution in transit manufacturing. History proved K&E wrong of course. But a twisted frame K&E transit is guaranteed to catch the eye when the transit is on display.

Second, this K&E transit has a fascinating triangular-like mount for the second telescope - both on top and on the side. This mount is not shown in the K&E 1900 catalogue but is shown in the 1913 K&E catalogue (see pic at the bottom of this page). I searched the internet for another example of a K&E mining transit using this mount and I couldn't find a single instrument. I suspect there are some out there, but there can't be a lot of them. K&E was selling Saegmueller solar transits in the early 20th century, and these transits could be used for vertical sighting as well. So I suspect that K&E didn't sell many two telescope mining transits featuring the triangle mount.

This instrument comes with its original box and a tripod.

The only meaningful flaw in this instrument is a missing counterweight for the second scope. The transit has been in the same family for quite some time, and the weight has been missing during their ownership and use.

Please see my K&E Instrument Maker Webpage for more information about K&E.