C. Plath Sextant Pre – WWII 1920/21 with Provenance

This C. Plath Sextant No. 4720 was purchased in 1921 by Lieutenant Commander Cyril L. Meek (1890-1961) who was the Executive Officer of the S.S. St. Louis, later renamed the U.S.S. Louisville.

The sextant has a blackened brass frame and a wooden handle.  The silvered scale is graduated from -5° to +155° and read by vernier with tangent screw and swinging magnifier to single seconds of arc. The inscription on the silvered scale reads “C Plath Hamburg” with the "Sunshooter Homunculus" logo (a man holding a sextant), an inspection mark "S", and the serial number 4720 on the left end of the arc.

 The pressure clamp and a worm screw are positioned at the bottom of the index arm.  The sextant has four green shades and three green horizon shades.  The sextant is contained in the original wooden box which has the original certificate of examination (COE), dated 4 June 1921, inside the lid.  

This sextant is four years earlier than the C. Plath sextant on display at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London (NAV1250).  And it is not as old as the C. Plath sextant on display at the Smithsonian, National Museum of American History, (sextant Plath 1906) but it is identical in design and construction. 

The varnished Mahogany case has a brass name plate with “Cyril. L. Meek”, two brass hinges, a carrying handle, two locking latches and a lock with key.  The case measures 5 1/4 inches x 11 3/16 inches x 11 1/2 inches; 13.335 cm x 28.41625 cm x 29.21.  It has the original green felt base (a little the worse for wear) and on the inside of the case, written in pencil are the inscriptions, “Captain C. L. Meek 1920”, “C. L. Meek”, and “Capt. C. L. Meek” perhaps indicating the case was manufactured specifically for Meek’s purchase.

There is some discrepancy between sources as to the year of manufacture according to the serial number.  “Serial numbers up to 4,000 were produced around 1905; serial numbers 5227 dates to approximately 1907–1908”.  Which could mean that the sextant was manufactured between 1905 and 1907 and the case was manufactured in 1920/21, with the Certificate of Correction being completed in 1921.

For more photos and further information please contact me.