Surveyor's Compass

Its magnetic needle pointed north, and sights or a small telescope let a surveyor measure directions and boundaries.

Maker: W. & L. E. Gurley
Place: United States: New York, Troy
Dimensions: overall length: 12 3/4 in; 32.385 cm; needle: 4 in; 10.16 cm; telescope: 8 5/8 in; 21.9329 cm; overall; case: 4 1/4 in x 13 3/4 in x 6 5/8 in; 10.795 cm x 34.925 cm x 16.8275 cm
Museum: National Museum of American History

Patent model for W. & L. E. Gurley, "Improvement in Telescope Attachments for Surveyors’ Compasses," U.S. Patent #205,742 (July 9, 1878).

The basic instrument is a standard small compass with a north-south level on the north arm, and an east-west level and an outkeeper on the south arm. The hand-engraved signature indicates that the compass was made before the middle of 1876. The telescope, which attaches to one of the sight vanes, was presumably made shortly before the patent application was submitted in June 1878. The inscription reads "W. & L. E. Gurley" and "Troy, N.Y."

The museum's own record (Smithsonian, National Museum of American History)

Surveyor's Compass

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