Antique theodolite with mahogany case

The instrument was made by Elliott Bros in London, no. 476, which was a scientific instrument maker from 1853 to 1921. The theodolite was repaired and adjusted by Hilger & Watts on 30/12/1948. It is an instrument used to measure angles and directions very accurately. The term theodolite, first used in 1824, comes from the modern Latin 'theodolitus' which was formed in the 16th century by Leonard or his son Thomas Digges, English mathematicians and astronomers.