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Tony Oz You wrote:  asked if the "plastic covered to shiny metal" bubble chamber change was a [significant] improvement worth looking at. As of now (lacking ANY technical info on the topic) - I judge purely from an "aesthetics" point of view, I like the plastic one better. Am I right or wrong - provided both were properly stored through the years - of course?

Certainly I'll ask a seller if I can see through the instrument etc, before the purchase, but WHAT ELSE should I ask him?

Tony

I can’t tell you.  My A10 and A10A were seized upon delivery, and I’ve never got around to attempting to unseize them.  I probably should have asked more questions before purchasing them online.  Re the A10/10As it might be worth asking if it has a bubble in the chamber, but you’ll probably get the “I’m no expert …….” routine.  Also, take a good look at the boxes and compare to the boxes of $200-$300 A10s for sale by or recently sold by major sale rooms.  Check if all the bits are there and the dividing walls aren’t knocked over.  For the A10, check the photos for the metal fittings on the outside of the box.  They’re not brass, and serious signs of rust might indicate that the actual sextant might also have been affected by damp.  DaveP