Chandlee & Holloway

Chandlee & Holloway

Chandlee & Holloway - What We Know

Goldsmith Chandlee had a son, Benjamin, who made instruments as well, no doubt training under his dad. Benjamin's instruments look eerily like those made by Goldsmith. So much so that one auctioneer has speculated that Goldsmith made some instruments for Benjamin while Benjamin was operating as Goldsmith & Holloway.

Here is what Smart says about Benjamin in his book (Makers of Surveying Instruments):

Benjamin Chandlee III, the son of Goldsmith Chandlee, was born in Winchester on March 5, 1780. He died in Baltimore on April 18,1822.

He is listed in the Baltimore directories from 1814-1822 as a clock and mathematical instrument maker. From 1819-1822 he was a member of the firm of Chandlee and Holloway (Robert Holloway).

C&H1 - Very nice and clean engraving. I sold this C&H compass in early 2020 - click to see more pics.

C&H2 - This C&H compass sold for $4444 at a Skinner auction in 2010.

CH3 - This exceptional C&H compass sold for $21k in 2009. You can read the auction write-up here.

C&H4 - This nice C&H compass has two levels but is missing the chain counter mechanism. Sold for $7500 at a Skinner auction in 2021.

C&H5 - I found the above pic on the internet. I have seen nothing else showing this C&H compass

Chandlee Articles

Here are some helpful reference materials related to the Chandlee Family of Instrument Makers:

1. Chandlee - Six Quaker Clockmakers (1943).

2. American Backcountry Tall Clock - Goldsmith Chandlee - His Genius His Customers (2016) A must see article that focuses on clocks and compasses.

3. The American Surveyor (Dale Beeks) - George Washington's Gift (Oct 2005) (Story about the compass Goldsmith made for GW - The Lane Compass).

4. The Professional Surveyor (Dick Elgin) - On Goldsmith Chandlee (2001) A really good article on GC.

5. Smart - His notes on Goldsmith for his book.

6. Gaynor & McKnight - Goldsmith Chandlee's "American Manufacture" Compass - The Rittenhouse Journal Vol 2 #3 (1988)

7. Beeks - A Surveyor's Compass Made By Goldsmith Chandlee - The Rittenhouse Journal Vol 2 #3 (1988)

8. Bedini - Goldsmith Chandlee & George Graves Compasses - The Professional Surveyor (Nov 1984) - Relying on Smart, Bedini inaccurately describe the functions of GC's L - T Table.

9. Bedini - Goldsmith Chandlee's L - T Table - The Professional Surveyor (May 1985) Bedini discussed a different possible explanation of GC's L - T table. I believe that Dick Elgin came up with the right explanation in his article, #4 above.