GURLEY ~ SURVEYOR ~ TRANSIT ~ COMPASS ~ TRIPOD ~ BOX -- VINTAGE ~ ANTIQUE

Description

LOCAL PICKUP ONLY.
OR BUYER CAN HAVE THIS ITEM SHIPPED IF THEY
ARRANGE
AND PAY FOR PACKING AND SHIPPING.
This is a large Gurley transit with an 11” scope, 6” compass, 5” needle, and 2 verniers.  It has straight legs but appears to be missing a bubble (if it ever had one) on the legs.  All functions work well and are useable as is.
I acquired it about 50 years ago (1960s) from a relative who got it from his father in 1922.  His father bought it used about 1905.
The compass is hand engraved with W&L.E. Gurley at the N position and Troy N.Y. at the S position.  I’m not able to tell if the compass was ever silvered but the engraving is black in the recesses.  I believe it was serviced at some time because the case has an old decal inside from Warren & Knight, Philadelphia with shipping instructions for repairs.
I found a number by the limb, 1603, which I rubbed with chalk to aid in photographing.  I find no other numbers or marks and I dare not take the limb plate off to look for marks.  From what I’ve learned, I think its prior to 1878.  It has no circles and the number 1603 appears to be stamped.
It is in a mahogany box with a leather strap which looks original to the box.  The box has dovetail corners and the door has been replaced.  I’m not sure that it is original to the transit.
Also, I have a tripod which I could not describe as a stiff leg or a straight leg but it is adjustable.  The tripod is 54” tall with legs closed and can be adjusted to 36” by telescoping the upper wood portion in a brass pipe.  The male thread is 3.50” X 8 TPI and the legs are attached by large, flat nuts about the size of a quarter with 2 notches for a spanner wrench.  The legs look like mahogany and the upper 23” is 1.25” OD with a flat face the full length to match the friction plate inside the brass pipe which is 20” long and 1.37” OD and 1.25” ID.  One of the thumb screws on the legs has been lost and was replaced by a machine bolt.  Also, you will see some screws in the upper part of the leg; these were put there to limit the amount that the height could be reduced and are not original.   The chain you see in the photo was put on by me when I was setting it up on a hard surface where the points on the legs wouldn’t bite.  The next 10.5” of the leg is 1.25 OD wood with no flat spots and the bottom of the leg is a 3.50” brass taper with iron or steel points.  Some of the brass screws holding these pieces together are not original.
I believe this tripod was made by Gurley before 1877 when he applied for a patent on a split leg, adjustable tripod (patent # 205,48) and I’ve never talked to anyone who has seen one like it.  I have 2 offers on the tripod but would rather sell all of my items to one person.
I have a hand level that is 5.25” long with most of the original black paint and leather pouch.  It appears to be of the style of the 1850 patent (7477) by Locke.  It is marked W & L.E. Gurley on the top rear and Deitrica Post Co. of San Francisco on the bottom front.
I have a plumb-bob (probably from much later) marked Bridge Dept. C.H.C. in the original leather and a 9’ elevation rod (probably much later) painted black and white with a red and white target, marked in 1/10”.