c1900 Cased Paget Angle Sextant by Hughes of London

A rare c1900 Mahogany cased example of a Paget Angle Sextant as made and supplied by H. Hughes & Son Ltd of London.
The Paget invented Angle Sextant has a black-lacquered alloy frame consisting of two circular plates, the upper having an ivorine overlay with the circular edge marked with a scale in degrees. The scale is graduated every ½ degree from -90° to +90°. There is a hard wood handle that screws into lower plate for easier handling.is missing. There is no tangent or clamping screw and the index arm is moved by hand. The instrument does not have any lens shades, so using the sun is not recommended. The Index- and horizon-glass adjustment is made by capstan screws. The sight vane is one pinhole mounted within the frame. Once the angles were measured, the user’s position could determined by the use of (Reeds Almanac) yearly navigation tables. The sextant is in good overall cosmetic condition with general wear and patina as consistent with age and use. The underside zinc alloy disc has lost most of its black paint. The sextant is contained in a fitted mahogany wooden box partly lined with green baize and containing instructions for use.
The Paget sextant was designed around 1892 and was marketed by Henry Hughes & Son Ltd (fl.1903 -1947). The number 805 makes it an early instrument, dating to about 1900.
Size case: 18.5 x 16 x 7 cm (7 ¼ x 6 ¼ x 2 ¾ inches)
Weight: 1195 g