A good antique sextant by the Liverpool maker, Alexander Cairns, who was trading at the city's Waterloo Street between 1850 and 1870. It is of anodised bronze construction with a silvered arc engraved 'A Cairns, 12 Waterloo Rd, Liverpool' and an inlaid graduated bone scale reading from 0° to 140°, read by vernier scale with a tangent screw for fine adjustment. It is fitted with an 8" radius arm. The instrument is housed within a wooden case bearing a retailers label for Reynolds and Son of Fenchurch Street, London and dated 17 June 1855.

The sextant measures 25cm x 20cm.

Condition: This early instrument survives in reasonably good order with all glasses and mirrors intact, the sight glass still giving a bright crisp image and nicely patinated bronze frame. The bone scale is intact but carries a fair degree of foxing and discoloration. The wooden case retains its original original protective layer of French Polish, still with good colour and shine but with a screwed repair to lower front edge, as shown in the images.

Overseas buyers welcome - please use the contact form to request a shipping quotation.