K&E Engineer's Railroad Y Level
With a 22-inch Telescope having 37X Magnifying Power
SOLD
This is the Largest of the K&E Railroad Wye Levels
Keuffel & Esser Co.
New York, c. 1908
New York, c. 1908
This is the largest size of Engineer's Railroad Wye Level produced by the Keuffel & Esser Company, one of the nation's leading manufacturers of quality surveying instruments throughout much of the 20th century. This extraordinary telescope length is rare even for wye levels. The level is identified in the company's 1909 catalog as item No. 5123 and bears the serial number 18874, which corresponds to having been made in about 1908. The instrument is in excellent condition and is complete with an adjusting pin, lens cap, sunshade, original mahogany case and tripod. The case still has what appears to be the original leather strap - an uncommon feature.
This is a most impressive instrument to view and would make an excellent display item for an engineering office. It would be equally suitable in a high rise building with large windows, a small office in the country, the family room in one's home, or in a museum.
The tripod is another of K&E's superior products. It is their catalog No. 5178 heavy tripod with what the maker calls split legs, making for a nice sturdy support for the extra large level. The tripod shows surface wear and could stand refinishing to match the quality appearance of the instrument. In its present condition it is both sturdy and serviceable. The upper end of one of the legs has a shallow 4-inch crack that extends only partially through the leg. This condition is shown in the photograph below.
The optics in the erect-image telescope are clear, and complete with a single cross hair that has one tiny foreign speck. Magnification is reported to be 37 diameters which is 32% greater than their 18-inch level. All focusing and turning mechanisms work perfectly. The midpoint of the telescope has some loss of original surface finish, perhaps because this is where it was grasped when lifted out of the case. Being a wye level means the telescope can be rotated 180º on its axis and also removed from the hinged rings and reversed end-for-end in the leveling base. These operations provide for easier adjustment of the optical properties when the need arises. The telescope measures 22 inches in its shortest length without the sunshade and extends to 26 inches with the focus tube drawn out and sunshade in place.
Please send email to me if you have a question.
All sales are first come, first serve. You can reserve an item with a phone call. Call Bud Uzes to order at (916) 652-5167, or send email to: The Compleat Surveyor.
Shipping and insurance (required) can be either UPS or USPS, as the buyer prefers. Both are at the buyer's expense. Sorry, no Paypal or credit cards - only checks or money orders. Personal checks must clear before items shipped.