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A rare George Adams surveyor's compass from The James Watt Collection, English, circa 1760, image 1
A rare George Adams surveyor's compass from The James Watt Collection, English, circa 1760, image 2
Lot 51

A rare George Adams surveyor's compass from The James Watt Collection,
English, circa 1760,

31 October 2017, 13:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £6,875 inc. premium

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A rare George Adams surveyor's compass from The James Watt Collection, English, circa 1760,

signed on the lid 'made by G.ADAMS in Fleet Street Inst. Maker to His Royal Highness the PRINCE OF WALES', the silvered compass rose engraved with eight cardinal points and double degree scale, in brass drum case mounted with four external open sights, two housed in the lid and an additional two housed in the base, on tripod mount and modern Perspex stand, 3 1/4in (8.2cm) diameter

Footnotes

Provenance:
The James Watt Art & Science sale, Sotheby's, 20th March 2003

James Watt (b.1736-d.1819): a famous engineer, associated with the garret workshop of his home in Heathfield, Birmingham.

Inventories:
Heathfield 1876 from the Watt room - cases 4/6

Literature:
John H. Milburn. Adams of Fleet Street, Instrument Maker to George III

Additional information

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