unusual 100 foot steel ENGINEER / SURVEYOR CHAIN by Chesterman, circa 1900 For Sale

We are pleased to offer this unusual surveyor chain. I have probably bought and sold over 100 surveyor chains over many years, but have never had one like this. There are 2  things that to me, make this one a desirable premium collector\'s prize. The first thing is the very light and thin gauge of the metal. I don\'t know if it was made for a special purpose or simply a lighter / thinner version of commonly found standard gauge chains. The second factor that any buyer will appreciate is the condition - It\'s as good as can be found! So, if you are looking for a surveyor’s chain in like-new condition and missing no parts, here it is. This chain is actually called an Engineer’s chain or Ramsden’s chain because it is 100 feet in length. The construction of canals and railroads led to the introduction of chains 100 feet in length for ease in measuring longer distances than chains more commonly used for land surveying - that were 4 poles or 66 feet in length. This chain comes complete with all 9 brass tally-tags - every 10 feet. Each link is one foot long.  It was made by the famous firm of Chesterman in Sheffield, which was for a  long time one of the most important manufacturing centers in England for precision steel instruments.These chains are also commonly referred to as Gunter’s chains because this design for a land measuring instrument were introduced in 1620 by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter (1581–1626) long before the development of the theodolite and other more sophisticated equipment, enabling plots of land to be accurately surveyed and plotted, for legal and commercial purposes.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.  This chain is in outstanding untouched condition (see photos). With the exception of minor surface rust which could be wiped off if so desired, this chain looks as good as the day it came from the factory! I doubt anyone could ever find one better than this!   This is a fabulous item for actual use or for display. Thank you for offerding and good luck! !  Absolutely guaranteed authentic.
Insurance is included with priority shipping.
Why not visit the \'harmic.little\' shop to view the finest early
English and European ceramics regularly available on ?
PLEASE CLICK HERE to see all of our current items
displayed simultaneously on our GALLERY page.
Our early pottery shop is always open!Please stay tuned for other interesting ceramics in the days and weeks ahead!
Thank you for looking, watching, and offerding! ANTIQUES – HELPING TO PROTECT YOUR
FUTURE BY INVESTING IN THE PAST!  International Buyers – Please Note: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer\'s responsibility. These fees are not additional shipping charges. We will not under-value merchandise or mark the item as a gift on customs forms, as falsifying this information is against U.S. and international laws.