Many surveyors in the 1600s and 1700s surveyed using a chain only. These surveyors needed a way to run straight lines and right angles. The Sureyor's Cross was the instrument of choice for chain surveyors. I note that many 1650 to 1750 Theodolites had 4 fixed sighting vanes (aka "Holland Circles") to help a surveyor run right angles as well.

The Surveyor's Cross offered here is a super example of what a circa 1700 surveyor would have used when surveying using only a chain. Bion featured an almost identical Surveyor's Cross in his 1709 book on instruments. (See Plate XI - Figure 15 in Stone's English Translation).

I suspect that some surveying by the chain only happened in Colonial America, although probably not very often. Surveying by the chain was a good option when the surveyor could use known boundaries and landmarks as a starting point. Surveying with a magnetic compass was a much better option when the surveyor did not have known boundaries and landmarks as a starting point, which is why Surveyor Compasses were the instrument of choice in Colonial America.

That said, I think the Surveyor's Cross offered here would make for a really neat display item, especially when combined with an early chain. You could tell a nice story about surveying with a chain only.

Please see my Surveyor's Cross Webpage for more background information. If you are interested in learning more about early surveying chains, please see my Webpage regarding Surveying by Chains or a Perambulator.