Graves - Successor to Goldsmith

George B. Graves (1792 - 1873)

George B. Compass

George B. Graves - What We Know

GEORGE B. GRAVES (1792 - 1873)
Winchester, Virginia

George B. Graves was born in Loudon County June 1792.

"A memorandum of articles belonging to the estate of Goldsmith Chandlee, deceased, sold the 10th day of the 4th month 1821, 66 items were purchased by George Graves for the sum of $268.94-3/4 or 17% of the total sale of $1607.48-3/4." (pages 110-117, "Six Quaker Clock Makers by E. E. Chandlee)

It is believed that the above George Graves was George B. Graves and that he made a portion of his vernier compasses from some of the parts bought at this sale. It is also believed that Graves was an apprenticing or working for Goldsmith when Goldsmith passed away in 1821.

Based on the engravings below, George Graves must have been pretty talented. The compasses are gorgeous.

Graves1 - VERY nice Graves compass with L T Table. Sold by eBay in 2005 for $9975.

Graves2 - Another beautiful engraving performance by Graves. From Bedini's files. See a different PIC here.

Graves3 - The compass was in the Gurley Museum and included in Smart's book. Here is a different pic of the compass in the Smart CollectionBook.

Graves4 - Very nice engraving job by Graves. Offered for Sale by Tesseract in 2004 for $4500.

Graves5 - The underside of the compass is the only pic I have, unfortunately. Sold in 2006 for $7500. I suspect it was a very nice vernier 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.