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The statement below in relation to this point is only partially true.

"Carl (C.) Plath son Theodor joined Cassens and Bennecke in Bremerhaven to
pform Cassens and Plath and produce their own range of sextants. They
resemble each other but are definately not identical."


At the turn of the twentieth century Hamburg, on the river Elbe, the home of
C Plath (named after founder Carl Plath) was the leading seafaring port in
Germany. However it was being challenged by Bremen, that other great North
Sea port on the river Weser.

Plath was at that time the unchallanged leader in the maufacture of nautical
instruments on the European continent. However it had always had a difficult
relationship with the Bremen shipping companies and shipyards. The firm
realised that if it wanted to do business in Bremen, German parochialism
demanded that it have an office in that city. In 1908 Theodore Plath was
offered partnership in Cassens and Benecke when one of the original founders
of the Bremen company - Benecke - suddenly departed. At that stage the
company founded by Tanne Janssen Cassens was only 6 years old and was a
minnow compared to the whale that was C Plath. It is my understanding that
the company was not even an instrument manufacturer but rather a trading
company servicing the port of Bremerhaven. Theodore Plath only accepted on
condition that the partnership's name be changed to Cassens and Plath.

The C + P partnership never had any intention of manufacturing  sextants and
other nautical instruments. It was simply a vehicle for the marketing of C
Plath compasses, sextants and nautical instruments into the Bremen trade. It
also acted as a chandlery and repair service for Bremen ships carrying Plath
instruments.

This arrangement worked until 1962 when C Plath sold out of the partnership
and the two companies went their separate ways. It was from this point
onwards that C + P began to manufacture their own instruments, no doubt
heavily reliant on C Plath designs. It is my belief that if anyone offers
you a C + P sextant and claims that it is older than 1962 they are very
mistaken.

Kieran Kelly
Sydney
Australia

   

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