E.A. Kutz Surveyor's compass

The compass measures 15~5/8” in length and is fit with a 6” needle and 7~ 3/8” sight vanes, a variation ard and slow motion tangent screw and two opposed bubbles mounted on the main-plate. The original staff mount is lacking; the original case is present and in good condition as is the original heavy lathe-turned lid.

Figure 1: E.A. Kutz Surveyor's compass. Front corner view.

The compass measures 15~5/8” in length and is fit with a 6” needle and 7~ 3/8” sight vanes, a variation ard and slow motion tangent screw and two opposed bubbles mounted on the main-plate. The original staff mount is lacking; the original case is present and in good condition as is the original heavy lathe-turned lid.

Figure 2: E.A. Kutz Surveyor's compass. Front side view.

The compass measures 15~5/8” in length and is fit with a 6” needle and 7~ 3/8” sight vanes, a variation ard and slow motion tangent screw and two opposed bubbles mounted on the main-plate. The original staff mount is lacking; the original case is present and in good condition as is the original heavy lathe-turned lid.

Figure 3: E.A. Kutz Surveyor's compass. Front center view.

A very large (and thus very precise) compass used for surveying. This is a surveyor's compass or circumferentor, an instrument used in surveying to measure horizontal angles. Due to its large size, its measurements can be more precise than would be possible with a smaller compass, and it includes a spirit level to help surveyors with levelling the compass. By the time of this device's manufacture, it had largely fallen out of use in Europe in favor of the theodolite, though surveyor's compasses still saw some use in America. 

Erasmus A. Kutz, Sr. was born in England in 1778. He came to America after 1812 and is first listed in the New York City directories: 1818-1820, rule maker, 343 Water St.; 1842-1850, nautical and mathematical instrument maker, 180 Water, Newark. 

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