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CIVIL WAR ARTILLERY GUNNER'S CALIPERS – EXCELLENT
SPECIMEN mkd WATERVLIET ARSENAL: Another of
the outstanding examples of the high quality tools,
gauges, and implements manufactured by the US Army
Ordnance Department, this is an excellent set of Civil
War era US Army Artillery Gunner's Calipers. A fairly
scarce artilleryman’s implement, like the Gunner’s Level
listed above, these are believed to have been issued at
a rate of one for every six guns.
Gunner Calipers, an instrument jointed like a pair of
dividers with arched legs which are adapted for taking
the diameters of convex or concave bodies, were used to
measure the bore or caliber of the guns and the diameter
of the projectiles. The faces of the arms of the
calipers are engraved with various scales in inches,
degrees, and pounds that correspond to the most common
artillery pieces in use during the Civil War.
These Gunner’s Calipers measure approximately 7” long in
the closed position, and the arms measure 1” wide at the
center, flaring to 1 7/8” wide at the tips. They are
fabricated of heavy brass plate and each arm is complete
with the mortised steel tip. One arm is plainly marked
“U.S. / WATERVLIET / ARSENAL". Showing very little
evidence of use, these Gunner’s Calipers retain a
beautiful finish. One of the key Artillery Implements
that are becoming increasingly difficult to find on the
open market, this set of Gunner’s Calipers will be a
very attractive addition to a Civil War display or
collection.
SOLD
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