Sextants Collection

A Sextant, 1912
Illustration of a typical sextant, c.1912. Sextants are used by mariners and explorers to determine their position, by measuring the angle between the horizon and the sun. Date: 1912

Surveying on the New Guinea Coast, a Nocturne (engraving)
1046889 Surveying on the New Guinea Coast, a Nocturne (engraving) by Nash, Joseph (d.1922); Private Collection; (add.info.: Surveying on the New Guinea Coast, a Nocturne)

Eight Bells, 1887, probably printed c. 1940 (etching)
877049 Eight Bells, 1887, probably printed c.1940 (etching) by Homer, Winslow (1836-1910); 55.6x70.8 cm; Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA; American

Different types of Astronomical Quadrants (engraving)
2603403 Different types of Astronomical Quadrants (engraving) by Unknown artist, (18th century); Private Collection; out of copyright

The Theodolite and other Surveryors Instruments (engraving)
2603402 The Theodolite and other Surveryors Instruments (engraving) by Unknown artist, (18th century); Private Collection; out of copyright

Plan of Stjerneborg (engraving)
3628547 Plan of Stjerneborg (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Plan of Stjerneborg)

Eight Bells Two mariners dressed in waterproofs attempting to used sextants in a storm. Monochrome halftone after 1886 painting by Winslow Homer (1836-1910) American marine artist

Woman looks through sextant on board a boat
A woman wearing shorts and a beanie hat peers through a sextant on the deck of a boat on the Norfolk Broads in the 1930s

Lower portion of sextant in the 15th century Observatory of Ulug Beg, grandson of Timur, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Central Asia, Asia

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Venture into the vast expanse of the maritime world with a Sextant, a timeless navigational tool from the past to the present. Witness the determination of sailors in a 1912 engraving, surveying the New Guinea Coast under the cover of night. Delve into the intricacies of an 1887 etching, "Eight Bells," depicting two mariners battling the elements while attempting to use their sextants in a storm. Explore various types of Astronomical Quadrants, as illustrated in an engraving, and marvel at the precision of The Theodolite and other Surveying Instruments, as shown in another. Navigate through historical plans, such as the 16th-century Plan of Stjerneborg, and peruse a 1939-40 Army and Navy Stores Catalogue, showcasing the availability during wartime. The humble Sextant, a staple in the nautical community since the 15th century, can be seen in the lower portion of the 15th-century Observatory of Ulug Beg. This grandson of Timur's unwavering curiosity paved the way for astronomical advancements, forever etching the Sextant's place in history.