An article that appeared in the January 1931 issue of Flying Magazine tells the story of a Long Island fisherman who discovered a sextant in his net while fishing halfway between Montauk Point and Block Island:
The fisherman, Arthur G. Wood, 94 Saxton Avenue, Sayville, L.I., took the sextant home with him, cleaned the corroded metal and read from the small plate:
Brandis & Sons, Inc.
Brooklyn, N.Y.
6255
Aeronautical Octant
Mark 1 Model 2
The article goes on to say that the sextant was traced back to a U. S. Navy Lieutenant Schildhauer, who lost the sextant in 1928 when his U. S. Navy PN-12 flying boat was forced to land at sea due to engine trouble.
This fit-for-Ripley’s fish story is not only mildly entertaining, it provides us with another data point for the Brandis serial number chronology. ‘Mark 1 Model 2 Brandis Aeronautical Octant’ is the name U.S. Navy gave to an early version of the Brandis Model 206 bubble sextant, which was introduced in 1925. Therefore Lt. Schildhauer’s (or should we say Arthur Wood’s) Brandis #6255 sextant must have been made sometime between 1925 and 1928.
At some point I will post an updated Brandis serial number chronology table that will include Brandis #6255 and perhaps some additional data points.
Comments, corrections, additional relevant facts, differing viewpoints, etc., are always welcome (no one will be banned, blocked, or castigated for offering differing opinions). Send corespondance to gardnersghost@gmail.com
