Hello, Fernando,

I would think that the best sources for old surveying instruments would
be small, privately owned engineering companies which have been in
business for the last 30 to 50 years. They may still have some of the
older instruments from the days before they switched over to digital
versions. Also you might try municipal engineering departments, or other
public/government agencies involved in such areas as road/railroad
building, mining, municipal water supply, bridge building and airport
construction.

Check with older local surveyors, or with companies which have done land
surveying.  They may be able to provide you with addresses of retired
surveyors who might still have their old instruments. Ship building
companies might still have some old theodolites lying around.

You might also try various departments in your national government which
were involved in coast & geodetic survey work, mapping and dam building.
As well, contact the departments of Geology & Engineering (surveying) at
various local universities.

In short, any kind of a governmental agency, private company or
individual involved in any form of civil engineering before the mid
1960's would have used beautiful, finely made non-digital surveying
instruments. Since these were expensive then, it is very likely they  
would have been kept (in storage) even after the company changed over to
more precise (and far cheaper) digital instruments. In a country as
large as yours, there should be thousands of them waiting to be
discovered.

Good hunting,

Tom McHugh


[EMAIL PROTECTED]

R. R. 1, Box 896
Fort Fairfield, ME 04742
U. S. A.

46° 45' 13"
67° 48' 42"



Fernando wrote:

> I'd like to buy a second-hand, traditional (non digital) theodolite.
> Although it's just for the
> fun of it, not for any practical use, I'd like to have a piece that is
> in good working
> conditions.
> 
> Can anybody there give some hints on where I may find this kind of
> stuff?
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> - fernando

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