Lot 236
Nautical Marine Sextant and Wooden Box, Probably Late 19th Century. No manufacturer's identification. Solid oak box: 9¾ x 10¼ x 5" with brass hardware. Engraved on the arc: Mrs. Janet Taylor, 102 Minories London.
A sextant measures the angle a heavenly body (star, planet, sun, moon) makes with the visible horizon. It derives its name from the arc at the bottom, which is one sixth of a circle. Until 1998, midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy were taught celestial navigation, but with the advent of the Global Positioning System, it was no longer taught. Lessons in celestial navigation were reinstated, however, in 2015, due to the threat of cyberattacks, which could disable the GPS. A sextant cannot be hacked. Estimate Value $200 - 300
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| Realized $120 |
