Pre-Owned Stanley London Nautical Sundial Marine Compass +
Please Note FREE postage within the UK Here for sale we have an pre-owned Stanley London Nautical Sundial Marine Compass in its own wooden box. I purchased this Sundial recently along with various other items at an auction. I have research this item extensively and I am more confused now than when I started. I am however convinced looking at the forgeries that this is without a doubt an original. So I am representing this item precisely and honestly to the best of my ability. I am not expert so please allow only the photos, and the text below to be your guide. Looking at the guide price stated in the text below, it would appear I am asking too lower price for the sundial, but I have based my price as I try to do with all my items on a buy to small profit quick turnaround basis. I would accept any inspection on the item from the purchaser. The measurement from between the legs are 11 cm = 4 ½ in. Dial circumference is 9 cm = 3 ½ in. The box size is 13 cm = 5 ½ in Square Depth 5 cm = 2 in If you have a question regarding the item, please contact me. The following text is from an official site on forgeries. PRICE Everyone likes a bargain. However, keep in mind that in the case of antiques a low price could be an indicator of questionable authenticity or condition. For surveying equipment, an average authentic antique piece could range in price from $500 to several thousand dollars. New reproductions of this type typically range from $50 to several hundred dollars. MARKINGS Many reproduction pieces today carry what would appear to be legitimate colonial era markings. Although modern reproduction pieces are frequently made in India, you will find many (but not all) reproduction pieces are being marked with names of European or English cities, such as "London." Also, many new pieces are being marked with what would appear to be the maker's name, such as "Stanley," and in addition, may carry a four-digit number such as "" which would give the impression of a year of production. A reproduction manufacturer meets all legal customs requirements by affixing a removable paper label identifying the country of origin, such as "Made in India." Craftsman's marks of yesteryear are easily copied and forged. A better test of authenticity would be to examine how the piece is made. MECHANICAL One of the first questions to ask yourself upon inspection of a piece would be, "Can this instrument reasonably perform the function it was designed for?" Authentic antique instruments were generally designed for a specific task. If a piece cannot perform the specific function for which it was designed, then it should be considered suspect. A person does not need to be schooled in the use of an instrument to be a good detective of authenticity. Simply use logic. Any part of an instrument that is supposed to move should move. Levers, arms and dials should freely move. Knobs should tighten and loosed easily and not be frozen in place. For pieces with an optical system, like a telescope, you should be able to bring the lens into focus. On instruments, which measure angles, check the degree markings to make sure that they are located correctly. For example, make sure that the 90 degrees mark is at a right angle from 0 degrees and 180 degrees is directly opposite the 0 degrees mark. Try to be thorough in your inspection of the mechanical components of an instrument. On a detailed inspection of many of the new reproductions one can find the use of modern materials such as plastic. Small plastic washers have been used, and buried deep inside a pocket sextant could be a lens housing made of plastic. Often these parts are smaller than 1/4" and quite frankly could be easily overlooked, especially when they are part of an intricate mechanism. Best advice--be as thorough as possible. FINISH Don't overlook inspecting the instrument's surface finish. A finish that shows grinding marks or has a rough surface would most likely be a sign of a reproduction. Instrument makers of yesteryear crafted beautifully made, precision machines. An authentic antique instrument may have a few dents and scratches from normal use and wear, but these should be random in size and placement. Modern power tools generally leave grinding marks that are regular in size and often in an obvious repetitive pattern. CALIBRATED MARKS Another area for inspection is the quality of the calibrated markings, such as degrees, inches, angles, etc. The markings found on most antiques were carefully scribed or engraved with sharp, fine lines and remain clear and easy to read even after years of normal use. However, on many of the reproductions the markings may appear either faint, shallow, irregular, oversized, hard to read or crude. Some of the reproduction markings are stamped by machine rather than engraved, a process, which tends to squash the outline of the numbers making them appear crude. Read More