Beschreibung:

An ebony and brass navigational octant, Spencer, Browning and Rust, London early 19th century The 11 inch frame incorporating central T-shaped hand-piece inset with bone signature plate inscribed .Spencer. Browning & Rust. London. beneath turned bone finial, the pivoted arm mounted with mirror opposing aperture for reading the inset bone Vernier scale stamped SBR with clamp and endless screw adjustment to underside, with pin-hole sight opposing horizon glass, set of hinged filters, backsight and conforming horizon, the tapered oak case with stepped lid, 35.5cm (14ins) long. Provenance: Private collection, Hampshire; label attached indicating a purchase price of £460 (undated). The partnership between William Spencer Richard Browning and Ebenezer Rust is recorded in Clifton, Gloria Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 as working from several addresses in Wapping, London 1784-1840. All of the founding partners had died by 1819 but the business continued trading in their name by their successors until becoming Spencer Browning and Company in 1840. They were agents for Alexander Adie and are noted for their navigational and surveying instruments. Cites Regulations Please note that this lot (lots marked with the symbol Ω in the printed catalogue) may be subject to CITES regulations when exported from the EU. The CITES regulations may be found at www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/imports-exports/cites