Presented is A U.S. Navy MK II sextant that we acquired approximately 38 years ago when we were in the sextant business. For many years, I had it hanging on a display wall and the last ten its been in storage. Now we are at a time when we are thinning out our possessions rather than acquiring things so we are making this available.  It was made by David White Company of Milwaukee in 1943 and bears Serial Number 16722 along side the Naval Observatory cartouche of acceptance. This sextant has the more expensive machined index arm rather than the later stamped arm. There is no case or any accessories. Like all MK II's, its arc reads to 145 degrees which was standard for this design, making it more properly a quintant. CONDITION: The sextant is in exceptional condition for its age. It shows little wear or use so that it can be considered as near new in all respects. All its machinery is present. Both fitted mirrors are in excellent condition with only one ting Grey dot on the index mirror. There is no case or mirror adjustment wrench U.S. NAVY MK II SPECIFICATIONS: Measuring Range: -5 to 145 degrees Accuracy: Tested to +/- 20 arc seconds Telescope: 3 x 26 mm Coated optics Frame: Aluminum with black enamel paint and white numbers Arc: Bronze Micrometer Drum and Vernier Scale: reads to 6 arc seconds Index Mirror: 44 x 34 mm with spare Horizon Mirror: 28 x 21 mm  Shades: 4 for index mirror 3 for horizon mirror Illumination: No Weight sextant: 2.5 lbs INCLUDED ARE: 1 Sextant frame 1 Scope           Micrometer and Vernier             Rising piece and tangent screw             Perfect horizon mirror           Near perfect index mirror BRIEF HISTORY OF DAVID WHITE: David White did a lot of military work during WW2 and was one of the principal manufacturers of Navy MK II  sextants. After the War, they were not able to adjust to a normal business economy and did not develop substitute parodists. Consequently, they were forced to down size as the markets changed to peacetime production.  Their work force was a ready pool of talent was available to SII.  In 1958 or earlier, Scientific Instruments, also of Milwaukee purchased the inventory of MK II parts as well as several pieces of machinery including a collimator from David White, and hired some of their employees. Scientific Instruments never built the Mk II, but did manufacture various spare parts and did repairs over the years. They picked up on the heritage of their neighbor, and became a government contractor on the Navy's successor sextant the MK III. This is fine sextant in excellent condition and is backed by our guarantee of satisfaction.  DOES OUR OPINION COUNT:We are one of the few company's still selling navigation instruments that know anything about them. For purposes of judging whether my opinion counts, Joel was the editor of the chapter on sextants of the 1977 Edition of "Bowditch", The American Practical Navigator, NAVPUB 9; a member of the U.S. Naval Academy Navigation Symposium Board, 1975 -1978; the author of a book on marine sextants, Cornell Maritime Press,1975, and the founding president of Nautech Maritime Corporation which partnered with Tamaya of Japan in the introduction of the MS 733 Spica, the MS 833, Jupiter, MS 933 Venus sextants and the famous NC-2 navigation computer, in the U.S. market. He also am a retired Master Mariner, and held a U.S. Navy "D" Qualification as a Senior Skipper - Oceans. From 1995 until 2001, Joel served as a Varsity Offshore Coach at the U.S. Naval Academy. FLT RATE SHIPPING to 48 contiguous States $20.00. OUR UNCONDITIONAL NO NONSENSE GUARANTEE: If not completely satisfied with your purchase it may be returned, if without damage, within five days of receipt in its original packaging. Return items must be insured for their full value. Only a prior email authorization by us for the return is required. Shipping charges are  included in this offer if the error is due to our fault.   International buyers welcome, but must inquire first. We have satisfied customers in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Estonia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Luxembourg, Martinique, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Nova Scotia, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, USVI and the Eastern Caribbean. Copyright 2010 by Land And Sea Collection™, All Rights Reserved