Kriegsmarine Sextants

[John R]

OK, thanks. It looks like the first pattern, besides the early dates, have a completely different and more complex structure than the second. This must be what Michel means by brackets, or the internal webbing. Thanks for pointing that out to me in your PM.

It also looks like mine must be bronze since it does not have a painted arc, I do not know what the weights are but my guess this is the case. The aluminum sextants were all black, the bronze unpainted arcs.

Thanks for posting your sextants Eduardo. John

Edited September 11, 2007 by John Robinson

[reinoudmilitary]

John is correct.

The difference between the two types is the amount of material used. Later in the war they had less internal webbing (or " brackets") because there was simlply less material available.

I have a first type and a second type, both completely from aluminium. I will post some pictures later on.

[John R]

John is correct.

The difference between the two types is the amount of material used. Later in the war they had less internal webbing (or " brackets") because there was simlply less material available.

I have a first type and a second type, both completely from aluminium. I will post some pictures later on.

I look forward to your photos. John

[reinoudmilitary]

1st pattern sextant in box

[reinoudmilitary]

2nd pattern in box

[John R]

Beautiful, especially since you have both first and second types. Do either of the boxes have a serial number plate on the exterior of the box. Mine does not, but it appears that there was a place where one was attached.

John

[John R]

It also looks like the sextants by Plath were sequentially numbered from 1 to the last one made. Mine is #615 and dated 1939. Looking at the other examples, it looks like this number kept getting bigger as the war went on, so I do not think they started over at the beginning on the year.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

John

Edited September 18, 2007 by John Robinson

[reinoudmilitary]

Hi John,

Just found your sextant on the dealerwebsite, he also sold a nice barograph, also yours now?

About the numbers on the KM sextants.

The number on the arc is the Plath factory serial number.

The number with the Kriegsmarine eagle above M is the German Navy satisfactory stamp, or Kriegsmarine abnahme.

So this meaned the navy approved the sextant, this was done on every Kriegsmarine item from field gear to navigational item.The department that did this for navigational items and clocks was the Deutsche Seewarte. This is also shown on the certificate in the box and probably on the left side of the arc " DS' is stamped.

About the Kriegsmarine abnahme numbers; they put them on a lot of german equipment, sextants, clocks, binoculars, barographs, anemometers, barometers etc. They numbered them whatever came up first, that's my guess/

Floris

It also looks like the sextants by Plath were sequentially numbered from 1 to the last one made. Mine is #615 and dated 1939. Looking at the other examples, it looks like this number kept getting bigger as the war went on, so I do not think they started over at the beginning on the year.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

John

Edited September 18, 2007 by reinoudmilitary

[John R]

Hi John,

Just found your sextant on the dealerwebsite, he also sold a nice barograph, also yours now?

About the numbers on the KM sextants.

The number on the arc is the Plath factory serial number.

The number with the Kriegsmarine eagle above M is the German Navy satisfactory stamp, or Kriegsmarine abnahme.

So this meaned the navy approved the sextant, this was done on every Kriegsmarine item from field gear to navigational item.The department that did this for navigational items and clocks was the Deutsche Seewarte. This is also shown on the certificate in the box and probably on the left side of the arc " DS' is stamped.

About the Kriegsmarine abnahme numbers; they put them on a lot of german equipment, sextants, clocks, binoculars, barographs, anemometers, barometers etc. They numbered them whatever came up first, that's my guess/

Floris

No the barograph went elsewhere although I was thinking about it. Just have to draw the line sometimes. If what you say is correct, and it sounds like you know your subject, then the #615 would have been a very early issue KM item if it covered not only sextants. John

[reinoudmilitary]

No the barograph went elsewhere although I was thinking about it. Just have to draw the line sometimes. If what you say is correct, and it sounds like you know your subject, then the #615 would have been a very early issue KM item if it covered not only sextants. John

Maybe some other members can help us out here!

Do you still now the price asked for the barograph John? (just for comparison. PM me)