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I'm afraid it's slipping away from us. Bidding has reached $538
> with nearly 24 hours to go. I have pledges for $xxx. The balance,
> with postage of $114 is pretty near my limit and there seem to be
> two rather determined bidders. Almost certainly there are others
> lurking with "snipe bids",to be placed by a sniping engine in the
> last 5 seconds.

On Nov 15, 4:13�pm, engineer  wrote:
> To report back, we now have a consortium of five, including me, to
> make bid of a realistic amount on
> the Zerbee Fix Finder.
>
> Philip Lange writes off list "I might suggest a call for many off list
> small pledges - - no amount considered too small. " So roll up! Roll
> up!
>
> Bill
>
> On Nov 15, 8:12�am, engineer  wrote:
>
>
>
> > I invariably use a bidding engine for my bids on e-bay. This means I
> > have to have a firm view of the maximum I am prepared to pay, which of
> > course is related to what I think is the actual value of the item and
> > how badly I want it.
>
> > Now that at least three people have indicated a willingness to
> > contribute, may I suggest that all who wish to contribute now let me
> > know off list how much? It would be useful to know too what
> > contributors think should be the maximum bid. At the moment, I have in
> > mind to match it up to a certain maxiumum sum, but we must be careful
> > to give no hint to those outside the "consortium" how much we have
> > available.
>
> > If through this consortium the item ends up in my hands, I undertake
> > to write and publish to the list a full, illustrated description of it
> > and eventually to donate it to a museum. I see no problem in principle
> > with returning it to the USA and it doing the rounds of consortium
> > members before reaching its final resting place, despite shipping
> > costs of US$114.
>
> > So, with 47 hours to go, speak now or for ever after hold your peace.
>
> > Bill
>
> > On Nov 15, 6:45�am, Fred Hebard  wrote:
>
> > > This is all fine with me. �I'm in for up to $50, with no expectation �
> > > of having any "rights" in the instrument, because of my reluctance to �
> > > go to $100.
>
> > > One comment would be to have a skilled EBay bidder do the buying, �
> > > regardless of the ship to address. �Is Bill Morris adept at buying �
> > > things on EBay?
>
> > > Fred Hebard
>
> > > On Nov 14, 2008, at 12:16 PM, George Huxtable wrote:
>
> > > > Bill Morris, as "Engineer", wrote, about the instrument we have been
> > > > discussing-
>
> > > > =================
>
> > > > From: "engineer" 
> > > > To: "NavList" 
> > > > Sent: Friday, November 14, 2008 2:19 AM
> > > > Subject: [NavList 6542] Re: Can someone identify this
>
> > > > I'm interested in this item too and planned to bid on it. If I won the
> > > > bidding, I would take it apart, service it and put it together again
> > > > in a restored state. Then I would post detailed labelled photographs
> > > > for others to see. When tired of it, I would offer it to a museum for
> > > > what it cost me. I agree it would be a pity for it to rest in private
> > > > hands, undescribed and gathering dust. On the other hand, why should
> > > > North America have all the luck? People in out-of-the way places love
> > > > instruments too.
>
> > > > Bill.
>
> > > > ====================
>
> > > > Comment from George-
>
> > > > Well, if Bill Morris were to succeed in a bid, that would meet most �
> > > > of my
> > > > own wishes, and I suspect those of several other listmembers, for �
> > > > the future
> > > > of this special instrument.
>
> > > > It would be rescued from locking away in a hidden private �
> > > > collection; in the
> > > > end it would end up in a public museum; and in the interim it would be
> > > > examined for us by a real expert. The only snag is that of Bill's �
> > > > location,
> > > > in a particularly isolated corner of New Zealand, which would,
> > > > unfortunately, require long-distance transporting of the item, and �
> > > > put it
> > > > out of range of personal inspection of anyone other than Bill.
>
> > > > Perhaps it would help if I pass on some details about Bill Morris, �
> > > > who I've
> > > > got to know quite well, by email, over recent months. Originally from
> > > > Britain, for many years he has been a doctor in rural New Zealand, �
> > > > having
> > > > retired now to an even more isolated spot, where he indulges in �
> > > > precision
> > > > engineering, from a well-equipped workshop. Although not a navigator
> > > > himself, he has a particular interest is in sextants, and he claims �
> > > > to have
> > > > restored altogether 28 such instruments of a wide range of types, �
> > > > modern.and
> > > > less-modern, not on a profit-making basis but as a hobby.
>
> > > > He is presently finishing-off a book (intended for distribution by �
> > > > CD rather
> > > > than print) on the "intimate anatomy of the sextant". I've come in �
> > > > because
> > > > he has asked me to scan it for any obvious errors, so I have been �
> > > > privileged
> > > > to see a preview. Looking at the care he devotes to detailed �
> > > > explanation and
> > > > description, illustrated by well-angled and notated colour photos and
> > > > diagrams, I would have no hesitation in entrusting to him this Fix �
> > > > Finder
> > > > for a careful analysis, and hope that he would share his findings �
> > > > with us as
> > > > he proceeds, before eventually passing it to a museum.
>
> > > > So, if Bill is prepared to act on our behalf, as well as his own, in
> > > > bidding, I restate my offer of sharing (to a maximum of $100) in �
> > > > the total
> > > > cost, if his bid succeeds, to give him some encouragement. Other �
> > > > members
> > > > have expressed similar sentiments. The more that join in, the �
> > > > higher the
> > > > chance of his success, and the less the burden will become on each �
> > > > of us.
>
> > > > One or two things need to be kept in mind here.
>
> > > > There may well be a flurry of last-minute bids and the price may go �
> > > > well
> > > > above its present $102.50. Indeed, the seller has set a reserve �
> > > > price, which
> > > > we have no way of knowing, that has not yet been met.
>
> > > > Although list members may contribute a "share" in the total cost, �
> > > > that would
> > > > not be expected to result in any shared ownership of the item, �
> > > > which would
> > > > become the sole property of the bidder. The whole operation would �
> > > > have to
> > > > work on the basis of gentlemanly trust between all involved.
>
> > > > If Bill Morris confirms his intention to bid on that basis, I would �
> > > > hope
> > > > that other list members might show restraint in any bidding of �
> > > > their own.
> > > > However, if any list member gets overcome by the lust to possess, �
> > > > perhaps he
> > > > might inform Bill beforehand, and share his technical findings with us
> > > > afterwards.
>
> > > > George.
>
> > > > For those that have yet to look up this item on ebay, it's at-
>
> > > >http://cgi.ebay.ca/ASTRONOMIC-CALCULATOR-SEXTANT-
> > > > theodolite_W0QQitemZ190265697439QQcmdZViewItem?
> > > > hash=item190265697439&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215%7C66%
> > > > 3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
>
> > > > and to see the original 1950 patent, look up Google Patents 2,519,532.
>
> > > > contact George Huxtable, now at geo...@hux.me.uk
> > > > or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
> > > > or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
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