A very uncommon and possibly important mid-19th century American precision theodolite signed on the limb by flowing engraved script, “Wm. Wurdemann No. 106 Washington D.C.”

This large precision theodolite stands 14” tall with a 15” removable telescope, with a top-mounted rack and pinion focus and attached vertical circle with opposed hinged vernier. The limb has two verniers and a single magnifier to assist viewing the very finely divided and exposed horizontal circle and opposed verniers. The original bulls-eye bubble, which used to attach outboard from the limb, is now lacking, and the surface of the compass face shows the (repairable) scars of having once been altered to accept level vials. The limb is mounted on a three-screw leveling base fit with both tangent and clamp screws. The instrument breaks down to fit onto its mountboard and within it's original (worn) case which carries an ownership label on the door of, "W. N. Aldrich C.E.". the original sunshade is also present.

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The attractive triple-leg telescope standard design is, I believe, a form common to European makers. Wurdemann brought with design preference with him as an immigrant from Germany in the early 1800s and used his european taught skills as the first Coast Survey Department full time Instrument maker. (See Rittenhouse Journal #20 pg 97-110). Mm. Wurdemann was an important American instrument maker. His instruments are highly refined and very uncommon; he achieved designs combining function and esthetics like no other manufacturer and produced instruments for important American Surveys.

Regarding the importance of this instrument, most Wm. Wurdemann instruments appear to have been signed and numbered. Most of these instruments were used in USGS surveys, and then went on to perform additional precision surveys under various government agencies. All of these instruments were documented in government records as having been used in specific surveys. Diligent research may retrieve data on this Wm. Wurdemann instrument (#106) and where it may have been used. This is a very good instrument for the serious instrument collector.

A copy of pertinent data on Wm. Wurdemann, will accompany this instrument to the new owner.

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On Apr-15-00 at 05:01:47 PDT, seller added the following information:

THE RESERVE IS $2200.