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In response to the post below and earlier from Joel Jacobs:

No Plath did not make sextants of the "three circle" frame configuration
after the Second World War, which is the period in question. They did
however, right up until the 1930's, manufacture a range of three circle
framed sextants as follows:

Grosser Dreikreis Sextant; 135dd on the arc three circle pattern/vernier
Kleiner Dreikreis Sextant; 135dd on the arc three circle pattern/vernier
Trommel Sextant; 135dd on the arc three circle pattern/micrometer/degrees
only

"Grosser Dreikreis" translates as "larger three-circle" and Kleiner
Dreikreis translates as "smaller three circle."

They also manufactured three types of quintants measuring 15odd on the arc.
These were used for surveying and hydrography and were quite specialised  eg
they had no horizon or index shades. They came with different options eg
vernier or micrometer drum.

All of the above are of an "antique pattern" and look nothing like the Mk
111 sextants recently posted on the web by Joel Jacobs. I have been told by
a former employee that the range offered by Plath was rationalised some time
during the 1930's and never again would the company offer the variety of
instruments shown in the 1920's catalogues.

I have been observing Plaths for many years and have only ever seen one of
the three circle pattern instruments offered and it was a surveying
quintant. I think they are very rare.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Kieran Kelly
Sydney
Australia
-----Original Message-----
From: Navigation Mailing List
[mailto:NAVIGATION-L@LISTSERV.WEBKAHUNA.COM]On Behalf Of Robert Eno
Sent: Monday, 22 March 2004 11:10 AM
To: NAVIGATION-L@LISTSERV.WEBKAHUNA.COM
Subject: Re: C+P NAVY MK III


Thanks Joel,

Makes sense. I now remember the fellow who mentioned that to me: John Luykx
(sadly, he passed away last summer). I remember that there was a firm in New
York assembling/manufacturing them.

I am going to dig through some old catalogues and see if I can find that
C.Plath with the circular centre in the frame.

In looking at the nature of the discussions that go on here, one might think
that we all have far too much time on our hands!!  ;-^)

cheers,

Robert
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joel Jacobs" 
To: 
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: C+P NAVY MK III


> Robert,
>
> Here's what I think may have happened after David White and Scientific
> Instruments went out of business as I surmise happened. Lowe was the
> contracting supplier after 1987 on the MK III, maybe with a different MOD,
> but C. Plath may have manufactured all the parts, and they were shipped to
> Lowe in NY to be assembled. That would add substance to what you heard
from
> a USN source, but it would have been for a much later production run. Keep
> in mind I was a member of the military Navigation Board, 1975-1978, that
> made recommendations to industry as to what they wanted. At that time C.
> Plath was not in the picture. David White and Nautech were. This was the
> first of the MK III's.
>
> BTW, Weems & Plath were then based in Annapolis, and played no role in any
> of this. The company was managed by Carole, I forget her maiden name, who
> married Jim Tindall of Coast Navigation in the late 1970's. Weems & Plath
> was not a manufacturer, but an importer and distributor, who sold many
items
> under their brand, no more or less, than anyone else at that time.
>
> Kieran Kelly may have the answer, but I have never seen a C. Plath with a
> circle centered frame. When Tamaya decided on the MS 833 Jupiter, it was
> essentially a copy of the C & P.
>
> Joel Jacobs

   

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