18th Century English Backstaff with boxwood frame and pear-wood arms with engraved scales signed and titled on a inlaid wood plate “H GREGORY near ye India House LONDON/" and engraved with a different font the captains name Jean Greamon”. The instrument is beautifully crafted and has a typical engraved pear-wood scale with a fancy hook on one end and a smaller arc with engraved scales on the opposite end. The boxwood limbs have paired scribed lines on both the front, back and sides of the instrument. There are decorative stars stamped on the scaled curved limbs.
Condition: The instrument retains the original sighting vane which is beautifully chamfered example. The other two vanes are lacking. The instrument has a warm deep patina with the original surface with only a few tiny chips a small at the end of the hook.
Reference: Reference: “Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851, by Gloria Clifton, Published by The National Maritime Museum and Antiques Collectors Club, 1997, page 119. Henry Gregory the first of 3-family maker’s is listed to have worked at the address India House, Leadenhall St. London Near the India House in 1866. His working dates were 1744-1782.
Dimensions: Length 25, Height 14, Inches
