Surveying instrument museum

AGA Geodimeter Model NASM-2A The first commercially available electro-optical distance meter.

Over the years the School of Surveying and Geospatial Engineering (formerly Schools of Surveying, Geomatic Engineering and Surveying, and Spatial Information Systems) of the University of New South Wales has collected a number of valuable instruments both from donations and in-house collection.

Our collection contains 164 valuable instruments from the 19th and 20th centuries grouped into four categories: Scientific and Mathematical Instruments, Theodolites, Levelling Instruments, and Electronic Distance Measurements (EDM) Instruments. This virtual museum has historical instruments such as the first commercial electro-optical distance meter (AGA Model NASM-2A Geodimeter), the Geodetic Micrometer Theodolite used for setting-out of the Sydney Harbour bridge, and a number of instruments donated by the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electro Authority (SMHEA).

Unfortunately these instruments are not publicly accessible, however, from time to time, they are loaned to museums to display at public exhibitions. In the meantime take a look at this virtual museum for a comprehensive catalogue of the instrument collection.

UNSW

Scientific and Mathematical Instrument

The instruments listed below are identified by their unique catalogue numbers. Click on the instrument for more information.

Name of instrument Maker Catalogue number
Trough compass A. Tornaghi, England 0101
Height gauge  Chesterman, England 0102
Artificial horizon Troughton & Simms, England 0103
Surveyor's compass Unknown 0104
Nautical sextant  Unknown  0105
Clinometer  Unknown 0106
Box sextant  Unknown 0107
Pocket drawing compass  Unknown 0108
Station pointer  H. Hughes & Sons Ltd., England 0109
Height gauge  Grey & Rushton, England 0110
Rangerfinder Wild, Switzerland 0111
Indian inclinometer  J. W. Handley, Australia 0112
Altimeter  Wallace & Tierman, USA 0113
Time recorder Omega Watches, Switzerland 0114
Planisphere chart  Unknown 0115
Chronoscope  Lab-Tronics, Australia 0116
Chronometer  Thomas Mercer Ltd., England 0117
Chronometer  Thomas Mercer Ltd., England 0118
Converter for time
signal receiver
 Unknown 0119
Signal transmitter  Unknown 0120
Chronograph FAVAG, Switzerland 0121
Micrometer station pointer Tamaya & Co, Japan 0122
Micrometer station pointer Tamaya & Co, Japan 0123
Trough compass A. Tornaghi, England 0124
Calculating machine Facit AB, Sweden 0125
Calculating machine Brunsviga, Grimme Natalis & Co,
Germany
0126
Calculating machine   Facit AB, Sweden 0127
Full circle compass  A. Tornaghi, England 0128
Planisphere chart  Unknown 0129
Eidograph Troughton & Simms, England 0130
Full circle compass  A. Tornaghi, England 0131
Nautical sextant Sextant Marine 0132
Prismatic compass E. R. Watts & Son, England 0133
Service compass  Hilger & Watts Ltd., England 0134
Liquid compass  Unknown 0135
Declinatory instrument  Fennel, Germany 0136
Sounding sextant Kelvin & Hughes Ltd., England 0137
Calculating machine Facit AB, Sweden 0138
Integrator Stanley, England 0139
Optical square Precision Instrument Co, Australia 0140
Steel tape Chesterman, England 0141
Steel tape Chesterman, England 0142
Stadia computer  J. Y. C. Richmond 0143
Linen tape  John Rabone & Sons, England 0144
Gunther's chain Unknown 0145
Electronic calculator Canon, Japan 0146
Laptop personal computer Toshiba, Japan 0147
Pocket stereoscope Carl Zeiss, Germany 0148
Alidade William Ford Stanley (W. F. S),
England
0149
Ewing stadialtimeter Esdaile & Sons, Australia 0150
Telescopic alidade Hilger & Watts Ltd, England 0151
Microptic alidade E. R. Watts & Son, England 0152
Plane table Unknown 0153
Echo sounder Raytheon Marine, England 0154
Rangefinder Wild, Switzerland 0155
Metric camera Rollei Fototechnik, Germany 0156
Artificial horizon Unknown 0157
Alidade Esdaile 0158
Abney level Sokkisha 0159
Abney level WRP 0160
Lettering set (Leroy II) Keuffel & Esser (K & E) 0161
Whirling psychrometer Casella 0162
Digital planimeter Tamaha 0163
Polar planimeter Allbrit 0164
Master grid template Haag & Streit 0165
Abney level Stanley 0166
Abney level Stanley 0167
Aneroid barometer Mechanism 0168
Aneroid barometer Thommen 0169
Precision aneroid
barometer
Thommen 0170
Marine GPS receiver Trimble Navigation 0171
Stereo micrometer Wild 0172
Mirror stereoscope Esdaile & Sons 0173
Mirror stereoscope Topcon 0174
Drafting set R. Reiss 0175
Double pentaprism Zeiss 0176
Double pentaprism Wild 0177
Double pentaprism Sokkisha 0178
Curta handheld
calculating machine
Cortina Ltd. 0179
Double pentaprism Stanley 0180
Single pentaprism Precision Instrument Co. 0181
Double pentaprism Hilger & Watts Ltd. 0182

* This instrument was missing from the collection during the relocation of the School of Geomatic Engineering in July 2000. Please inform the School and the NSW Police if you come across any instruments marked with an asterisk.

Theodolites

The instruments listed below are identified by their unique catalogue numbers. Click on the instrument for more information.

Instrument Model Maker

Catalogue
number

Micrometer theodolite Everest Troughton & Simms, England 0201
Exploration theodolite T12 Wild, Switzerland 0202

Optical micrometer
theodolite

Th 1 Carl Zeiss, Germany 0203
Micrometer theodolite   Carl Bamberg, Germany 0204
Micrometer theodolite   E. R. Watts & Son, England 0205
Exploration theodolite T12 Wild, Swtizerland 0206
Precision optical
micrometer theodolite
T3 Wild, Switzerland 0207
Optica0l micrometer
theodolite
ST156 Hilger & Watts Ltd., England 0208
Micrometer theodolite   Troughton & Simms, England 0209
Vernier theodolite   Stanley, England 0210
Mining vernier theodolite   Breithaupt, Germany 0211
Vertical staff
tacheometer
RDS Wild, Switzerland 0212
Photo-theodolite P30 Wild, Switzerland 0213
Optical micrometer
theodolite
T1 Wild, Switzerland 0214
Optical scale-reading
theodolite
K1-S Kern & Co., Switzerland 0215
Horizontal staff
tacheometer
RDH Wild, Switzerland 0216
Vernier theodolite   Hilger & Watts Ltd., England 0217
Vernier theodolite B236 W. F. S., England 0218
Micrometer theodolite   E. R. Watts & Son, England 0219
Vernier theodolite   Troughton & Simms, England 0220
High precision optical
micrometer theodolite
T4 Wild, Switzerland 0221
Gyro-theodolite   B. A. C., England 0222
Optical micrometer
theodolite
Theo 010 Carl Zeiss, Germany 0223
Optical micrometer
theodolite
T2 (E) Wild, Switzerland 0224
Optical scale-reading
theodolite
T16 (E) Wild, Switzerland 0225
Optical micrometer
theodolite
DKM2-AEM Kern & Co., Switzerland 0226
Optical micrometer
theodolite
Th 2 Car Zeiss, Germany 0227
Optical scale-reading
theodolite
Th 4 Carl Zeiss, Germany 0228
Striding level T2 attachment Wild, Switzerland 0229
Rotatable objective
pentaprism
T2 attachment Wild, Switzerland 0230
Diagonal eyepieces T2 attachment Wild, Switzerland 0231
Compass theodolite T0 Wild, Switzerland 0232
Precision motorised
electronic theodolite
TM3000 D Wild, Switzerland 0233
Diagonal eyepiece for Theo 010 Carl Zeiss, Germany 0234
Striding level for Theo 010 Carl Zeiss, Germany 0235
Horrebow level for Theo 010 Carl Zeiss, Germany 0236
Repetition theodolite   Cooke, Troughton & Simms Ltd., England 0237
 Tribrach HP 11426A Hewlett Packard, USA 0238
Prism adapter HP 11425A Hewlett Packard, USA 0239
Optical plummet HP 11424 A Hewlett Packard, USA 0240
Trivet (with tilting plate) Kern, Switzerland 0241
Traversing targets Part of PZ equipment Kern, Switzerland 0242
Traversing targets Part of PZ equipment Kern, Switzerland 0243
Tilting plate tripod   Kern, Switzerland 0244
Astrolabe attachment for Wild T2 Wild, Switzerland 0245
Magnetic compass B3 Wild, Switzerland 0246
Target rod for Th 2 Zeiss, Germany 0247
Target rod for Th 2 Zeiss, Germany 0248
Data reader GIF 10 Wild, Switzerland 0249
Data reader GIF 12 Wild, Switzerland 0250
Zenith/Nadir plummet (small) Kern & Co., Switzerland 0251
Traversing target for Theo 010 Zeiss, Germany 0252
RS-232 Interface GIF-2 (GRE3) Wild, Switzerland 0253
Subtense bar BL 16-21 Wild, Switzerland 0254
Subtense bar (2 m) Wild, Switzerland 0255
Optical micrometer
theodolite
T1A Wild, Switzerland 0256
Optical micrometer
theodolite
ST200-3 Hilger & Watts, England 0257

Leveling instruments

The instruments listed below are identified by their unique catalogue numbers. Click on the instrument for more information.

Instrument Model Maker Catalogue
number
Dumpy level    Baker, England 0301
Precision tilting level    E. R. Watts & Son Ltd., England  0302
Precision tilting level    Hilger & Watts Ltd., England  0303
Precision tilting level  S.500-109  Cooke, Troughton & Simms Ltd.,
England
 0304
Tilting level    Hilger & Watts Ltd., England  0305
Tilting level    E. R. Watts & Son Ltd., England  0306
Tilting level NK 2 Wild, Switzerland   0307
Automatic level  Ni 2  Carl Zeiss, Germany   0308
Autocollimation eyepiece  for Ni 2  Carl Zeiss, Germany  0309
Automatic level  S27 Vickers, England  0310
90o (objective) prism  NA3000  Carl Zeiss, Germany  0311
Digital level    Leica, Switzerland  0312
Plane parallel plate
micrometer
10 mm, for Ni 2   Carl Zeiss, Germany  0313
Plane parallet plate
micrometer
5 mm, for Ni 2   Carl Zeiss, Germany  0314
Precision levelling staff    Carl Zeiss, Germany  0315
Automatic zenith
plummet
 Autoplumb
ST555-2
Watts Ltd., England  0316
Automatic precision level  Ni 007  Carl Zeiss, Germany  0317
Automatic level   Cooke, Throughton & Simms Ltd.,
England
0318

EDM instruments

The instruments listed below are identified by their unique catalogue numbers. Click on the instrument for more information.

Instrument Model Maker Catalogue
number
Short-range distance meter DM 501 Kern & Co. Switzerland 0401
Medium-range distance meter Geodimeter 14 AGA, Sweden 0402
Electronic tacheometer HP 3820A Hewlett Packard, USA 0403
Short-range distance meter HP 3800B Hewlett Packard, USA 0404
Short-range distance meter HP 3800B Hewlett Packard, USA 0405
Microwave distance meter MRA 101 Tellurometer,
South Africa
0406
Microwave distance meter MRA 101 Tellurometer,
South Africa
0407
Precision distance meter MA 100 Tellurometer,
South Africa
0408
Microwave distance meter CA 1000 Tellurometer,
South Africa
0409
Microwave distance meter CA 1000 Tellurometer,
South Africa
0410
Medium-range distance meter Geodimeter
NASM-2A
AGA, Sweden 0411
Medium-range distance meter Geodimeter 6A AGA, Sweden 0412
Medium-range distance meter Geodimeter 6A AGA, Sweden 0413
Semi-electronic tacheometer GTS-2 Topcon, Japan 0414
Vertical circle attachment for HP3805 Hewlett Packard, USA 0415
Triple prism   AGA, Sweden 0416
Single prism   AGA, Sweden 0417
Electronic tacheometer TC-1600 Wild, Switzerland 0418
Electronic tacheometer ET-1 Topcon, Japan 0419
Triple prism GDR-11 Wild, Switzerland 0420
Slope reduction calculator SRC-3 Topcon, Japan 0421
Electronic tacheometer Wild TC1610 Leica, Switzerland 0422
Rectangular/Tiltable reflector GDR-31 Leica, Switzerland 0423
Electronic tacheometer DTM-821 Nikon, Japan 0424
Battery charger BC-10 Topcon, Japan 0425
DC-DC converter AC-5 Topcon, Japan 0426
Hand-held distance meter Disto Classic 5 Leica, Switzerland 0427
Electronic tacheometer SET3 Sokkisha, Japan 0428
Electronic fieldbook SDR Sokkisha, Japan 0429
Triple prism reflector GDR-11 Wild, Switzerland 0430
Triple prism reflector GDR-11 Wild, Switzerland 0431
Single prism reflector GDR-3 Wild, Switzerland 0432
Tiltable prism   OMNI, USA 0433
Tiltable single prism 571125740 Geotronics AB, Sweden 0434
Mini prism reflector JR OMNI, USA 0435

Reference materials

Links to virtual museums and relevant websites containing information on historical surveying instruments:

The Lady Denman Heritage Complex

 

Dent Street, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia

ladydenman.asn.au

 

Scientific Instrument Collection

 

website.lineone.net/~bsneesby/index

 

 

Study Collection of Kern & Co,
im Stadtmuseum Aarau

 

Schlossplatz 23, 5000 Aarau, Switzerland

kern-aarau.ch/kern/willkommen/welcome

 

 

Auctioneers of Fine Art, Antiques
and Sculpture

 

Willoughby, Ohio, USA

www.ewolfs.com/

 

 

Virtual Archive of Wild Heerbrugg

 

swissonline.ch/dedual/wild_heerbrugg/

 

www.wild-heerbrugg.com/

 

 

Maison du Geometres

 

79, Cours Charlemagne
69002 Lyon, France

 

www.geo-anse.com

 

 

Macleay Museum

University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

 

sydney.edu.au/museums/collections/macleay

 

 

Scientific Instrument Collections in Australian Universities
(by J. Holland)

 

optusnet.com.au/jph8524/JHUniInstColl

 

National Technical Museum

Prague

 

www.ntm.cz/

 

 

Science Museum

 

Exhibition Road, South Kensington,
London, England

 

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/

 

 

Förderkreis Vermessungstechnisches Museum e.V.

Museum fur Kunst und Kulturgeschichte
Hansastrasse 3, D-44012
Dortmund, Germany

 

http://www.vermessungsgeschichte.de/

 

The Whipple Museum of the History of Science

 

Cambridge, England

 

http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/

 

 

 

International Institution for the History of
Surveying and Measurement

 

http://www.fig.net/hsm/index.htm/  

 

 

Antique Surveying Instruments at 'oobject' (blog/directory)

 

http://www.oobject.com/category/antique-surveying-instruments/

 

 

Hewlett-Packard Archive
(for catalogues, journals, links)

 

http://www.hparchive.com/