Which Sextant

[Neil]

My Astra 111B is 2004 vintage & has the certificate "free of errors" . It is unused & yesterday at Marchwood YC Astro Nav lecture, it was found to be free of all errors !

My astra IIIb is of 2008 vintage and has a numbered certificate which, across all angles on the correction table, says "This instrument is free of errors for practical use"

 

[snowleopard]

I've been looking on eBay to establish a value for mine which I now want to sell. The important thing is to distinguish between genuine navigational instruments and ornaments. I have seen a lot with no scales at all that look very pretty but couldn't find the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth. Don't even think of a vernier sextant, a micrometer scale is essential. If you plan on taking star sights you need a star telescope. Personally I've only ever done sun sights and that includes some ocean navigation pre satnav.

Age is no guide to value. Far more important is the calibration and state of the optics, particularly the mirrors.

p.s. I'm open to offers on mine, made by Kelvin Hughes around 1960, formerly property of a MN deck officer.

 

[steveej]

well I have somehow ended up with two off ebay. A cheap plastic Ebbco and what looks to be an Astra iiiB in mint condition at half the price of a new one, so I am happy.

 

[Strolls]

Three Astra iiiB's newly listed on eBay today, FWIW.

• 382350403326 - auction, starts at £200
• 282813852997 - graemjohnsto_85's buy-it-now / make-an-offer
• 282813848302 - graemjohnsto_85's auction

graemjohnsto_85 appears to have two of these for sale - if you look carefully the serial number on the certificate is different.