CHESTERMAN 66 foot / 4 pole steel land SURVEYOR CHAIN, circa 1900 For Sale

A fine surveyor / Gunter chain 22 yards in length with all the links intact, withbrass handles and with all 9 original individual brass tally tags, manufactured by CHESTERMAN, Sheffield, England, circa 1900.

We are pleased to offer this fine 66 foot steel link land surveyor’s chain.Chesterman chains are difficult to date accurately because the manufacture used the same logo for more than a century. I would guess the date of this chain is circa 1900.

The chain consists of 100 individual links connected by iron rings, all 9 brass tally tags - each shaped to indicate partial chain measurements, and two brass handles. The middle tally tag is inscribed CHESTERMAN, SHEFFIELD, ENGl (seephotos provided). This chainwasmade by the famous firm of Chesterman in Sheffield, England which was for a long time one of the most important manufacturing centers inEngland for precision steel instruments.

The chain measures 66 feet in length which equals 4 ‘poles’. 66 foot chains are also called ‘Gunter’s chains’. Edwin Gunter of England initiated its common use for measuring land boundaries in the early 1600s. Land survey records in the American colonies were also recorded in ‘chains’. 1 chain by 10 chains = 1 acre. One mile = 80 chains. The use of the 66 foot chain was confined chiefly for land surveying because of its relationship with the acre.

This surveyor / Gunter chain is completely genuine and in untouched original condition. There are no missing pieces or parts. The surface rust is light and could be easily removed by spraying with WD40 and rubbed with steel wool. There is no pitting to the heavy gauge steel links - see close-up photo of the links. As you can see in the photos provided, this is adesirablechain for either a dealer or a discriminating collector.We are selling this historically fascinating Gunter chain WITHOUT RESERVE. Thank you for watching our sales.