C Plath Sextant Serial Number

[brainstorm]

I have just bought an old but certainly functional C Plath Sextant on E bay , thought to be pre-war. It was bought by an English Shell Captain in 1955 in Hamburg and there is a test certificate dated April that year. The serial number on the sextant is 16685 , which matches the number on the 1955 test certificate ( tested by C Plath themselves in Hamburg.)
Can anyone help me date the instrument?

Interestingly part of the index arm, about an inch in length, has been milled out and relacquered with matching black paint. We think this was done to remove the Kriegsmarine insignia to make the sextant more saleable after the war.
Any thoughts very welcome.

 

[pvb]

Here's one sold at auction, serial 16426, said to be WW2 period - https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/36299015_wwii-nazi-marked-c-plath-sextant-from-u-291-wbox

Here's another auction listing, serial 21559, said to be 1942 - https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/...0026/lot-bb3718aa-7b40-4523-a1d6-a4f90178156d

And here's another auction listing, serial 14427, said to be 1940 - https://www.emedals.com/germany-a-kriegsmarine-trommel-sextant-by-c-plath-1940

Plath made around 11,000 sextants during WW2, so these serial numbers could be genuine.

However, I'm rather sceptical about these Plath sextants which keep appearing on eBay. They're attractive display items, and any WW2 links can make them even more collectable. (Although I'd have thought removing Kriegsmarine marking would have reduced the value of yours.) The prices are such that there will inevitably be many fake items. There's an interesting online article with photos about fake Plath sextants, which may be worth a look - https://sextantbook.com/2010/07/14/faking-it-is-it-a-sno-m-or-is-it-a-c-plath/

 

[brainstorm]

Hi Pvb

Thank you so much for taking the time to do some research. I had uncovered one of the previously sold ones but not the other two. Good effort! I had also found the sextantbook website but had not picked up the very interesting article to which you refer. I appreciate there are fakes in the marketplace but I bought it from a bona vide yachtsman who used to race on a yacht I knew from Holyhead and had also done the AZAB, but 4 years after I did. He bought it in the nineties from a former ships captain and I have every reason to believe that is correct.

Having been through the article you referred me to I am more confident than ever that the sextant is a real Plath. Most obviously the framework is of the ladder pattern which evidently predated WW2 , and I read somewhere that this was changed to the triangular type pattern during the war. My sextant also passed the tests re the horizon mirror and the little knobs on the mirrors.
The little stick man looks right and also the rack is stamped D S although faint. The Bakelite handle is also stamped Plath as it should be.
The mystery is why the Kriegsmarine logo has been removed. It is possible to see where it has been re enamelled.
I think we might underestimate the feeling of hate and disgust at the Nazis shortly after the end of the war, and therefore a reason to have the insignia removed.
The seller told me that Plath also made sextant for the Swedish Navy before the war, and those serial numbers are evidently in the 15000's.
Anyway many thanks for your input and knowledge. What a great forum this is!

 

[pvb]

My pleasure; enjoy your sextant!

 

[John M. Standley]

Purchased C. Plath sextant # 29515 in 1986 Lisbon Portugal .........what year was She produced ?

 

[John M. Standley]

Purchased C. Plath sextant # 29515 in 1986 Lisbon Portugal .........what year was She produced ?

 

[[194224]]

I own serial number 29957 and that dates from 1950. After WW2 Plath were permitted to start production of their instruments from 1949. It is possible that despite being allowed to restarting manufacturing in 1949 they only produced sextants from 1950. C Plath Sextants – The Nautical Sextant

It's quite close to mine in serial number and Plath issued the original certificate for mine in December 1950 so my guess is that yours also dates from 1950. Most produced during the war had the aluminium frame but after the war they used the ladder bronze frame.

 

[Tkvaughn]

I own serial number 10567. My father (Robert V Vaughn) used it in 1949 upon graduating from US Merchant Marine Academy. It then went to a friend of his (Olin Edwards) a few years later. When I graduated from US Merchant Marine Academy in 1975 I used it for several years sailing on US flag tankers. I returned to Mr Edwards. Long story short it cam back to me this year. Trying to learn more about it

 

[R. W. D.]

I have just bought an old but certainly functional C Plath Sextant on E bay , thought to be pre-war. It was bought by an English Shell Captain in 1955 in Hamburg and there is a test certificate dated April that year. The serial number on the sextant is 16685 , which matches the number on the 1955 test certificate ( tested by C Plath themselves in Hamburg.)
Can anyone help me date the instrument?

Interestingly part of the index arm, about an inch in length, has been milled out and relacquered with matching black paint. We think this was done to remove the Kriegsmarine insignia to make the sextant more saleable after the war.
Any thoughts very welcome.

I have a C Plath sextant with serial # 16319 that has the date 21.3.39 on the certificate attached to the inside of the lid on the original C Plath mahogany box. I bought it several years ago from a woman whose uncle had brought it back in 1945 (the Informal Entry Manifest and Receipt was in the box) and then used it on ships in the merchant marines. So, the date is accurate. Yours must also be made in 1939. Mine also appears to have been repainted on the index arm like yours, probably to cover up the Nazi insignia.
I attached a photo of the certificate and customs entry document, and a photo of the index arm. You can see where the words C Plath which would normally be white, are painted over black. If you want more photos I would be glad to send them.
Ron Dodd

 

[friscomariner]

Here's one sold at auction, serial 16426, said to be WW2 period - Wwii Nazi Marked C Plath Sextant From U 291 W/box

Here's another auction listing, serial 21559, said to be 1942 - A Third Reich Kriegsmarine sextant by C. Plath, Hamburg, serial number 21559, with a black frame,

And here's another auction listing, serial 14427, said to be 1940 - https://www.emedals.com/germany-a-kriegsmarine-trommel-sextant-by-c-plath-1940

Plath made around 11,000 sextants during WW2, so these serial numbers could be genuine.

However, I'm rather sceptical about these Plath sextants which keep appearing on eBay. They're attractive display items, and any WW2 links can make them even more collectable. (Although I'd have thought removing Kriegsmarine marking would have reduced the value of yours.) The prices are such that there will inevitably be many fake items. There's an interesting online article with photos about fake Plath sextants, which may be worth a look - Faking it. Is it a SNO-M or is it a C Plath?

I own a C. Plath sextant with serial no. 14023 with extensive and complete provenance, it has its original box and all of its original accessories. The certificate reads a date of 1940 and it retains it's original wartime markings (swastika, etc.) I am trying to estimate it's value[content edited]. Can you point me in the right direction? Thank you.