Photo by David Friend Productions, San Diego, California
ADJUSTABLE SURVEYOR'S CROSS WITH TELESCOPE by C.G. KING
06-010. American/English, early 3rd quarter 19th century, with a complete trade label in the lid for
"C.G. King" and signed in script on the silvered compass face "C.G. King." The cylindrical section
is probably English, made of bright lacquered brass, and standing 5 3/4" high overall; the 3 3/4"
diameter cylinder is 3" tall. The upper half of the cylinder rotates (by means of the bottom knob)
with respect to the lower half; there is a graduated silvered scale about the middle which can be
read out by a vernier to 1 arcmin; and there is a simple staff mounting base on the bottom. The
compass and telescope assembly are American, made and installed on the cylindrical section by C.G.
King. The compass has a 3 1/8" long edge-bar needle with a jeweled pivot, mounted inside a 3 7/8"
diameter housing; the telescope is 7 1/8" long, with erecting eyepiece, 3/4" diameter objective,
drawtube eyepiece focussing, and a 4 7/8" long bubble level mounted on top; and the telescope is
mounted on a pair of 2 1/2" tall supports attached to the outside of the compass housing to make the
entire instrument 9" high overall. This unusual adjustable surveyor's cross with telescope is in
very good overall condition, with original lacquer finish on the cylindrical section and no finish
on the compass/telescope assembly (probably none originally). The original 10 5/8" x 8 5/8" x 5
3/4" hand dovetailed oak case, with brass carrying handle and original key, is also in very good
overall condition.
It has been reported that only 3 of these usual instruments by C.G. King are currently known
and that they were originally designed for use in shipyards to plumb the installation of masts on
sailing ships.
