Original WWII U.S. Navy French Made Sextant by Lepetit in Wood Case
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Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice Pre-WWII French-made U.S. Navy Sextant, which comes complete in its original wooden transit case. The case is in good condition, and measures 10 1/2" x 10 1/2" x 4 3/4". It has a label inside the case reading:
U.S. NAVAL OBSERVATORY
Washington, D. C.
COLLIMATION CERTIFICATE
This certificate has a stamped date of APR 27 1945, but was almost certainly in service long before that. It indicates that the sextant had the optical elements calibrated properly, and gives the correct adjustments that need to be made for the various degree positions. It also gives the manufacturer and serial number information.
The main limb of the sextant is marked in the middle with the maker and serial number information: LORIEUX, LEPETIT.sucr. PARIS No. 5531. The "sucr" marking is short for successeur (successor), indicating that Lepetit had succeeded Lorieux as the owner of the optical business in Paris, France. This is a well known firm that supplied optical instruments worldwide.
The left end of the limb is marked U.S.C. & G.S. No. H749., which indicates that this sextant was originally deployed with the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey, which was a research arm that surveyed coasts. When the war broke out, it was most likely pressed into service, and added to the Naval Stocks. It was at this time it got the decal added on one of the arms:
248
U. S. NAVY
101076
The sextant is in very good condition and appears to be fully operational with clear optics, colored filters and functional adjustments. All in all a rare piece of World War Two U.S. Navy and Coast Guard equipment offered complete with its original wooden case.
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