A rare J. H. Steward Military 'New' Plane Table Sketching Board, dating from c.1910. The 'New' Plane Table appeared in Steward miltary instrument catalogues from 1901 to 1910. Made of mahogany, with brass fittings and tripod attachment point, it comes with its original accessories - the 'Simpson Reflecting Sight Ruler', and the 'Waterproof Canvas Case'. The Simpson Ruler first appeared in the 1910 Steward catalogue, and was no longer listed in the 1916 edition, so this plane table can be accurately dated to around 1910.
The design of this Plane Table is almost identical to the standard Verner's Patent Cavalry Sketching Board (various different versions were patented by Willoughby Verner between 1887-1891), but this example is much larger, 12 inches x 17.5 inches, with a working surface area of 10 inches x 14 inches. Most military Plane Tables were fairly basic boxwood drawing boards which could be fitted onto a tripod for use in the field. The Steward 'New' version included an integral compass, and side rollers to hold the drawing paper, that were more often seen on the Verner's sketching boards. It was described in the 1910 Steward catalogue as: 'a light plane table, made of mahogany, with wooden rollers to carry 3 yards of paper. The rollers have tension clamps to ensure the paper being kept flat. A bar needle compass is countersunk in the head of the board, with revolving direction line for setting to the working meridian'. The canvas case has leather reinforced edges, a leather shoulder strap, and a leather pouch for the Simpson Sight Ruler sewn into the interior of the case.
Plane Table: Plane tabling is a method of surveying which allows observations to be plotted directly on a map by a surveyor in the field. The plane table is unique among surveying instruments in surviving almost unchanged in form from its appearance c.1600 down to the present day. From the 18th century it was used as a way to produce a sketch map quickly, without requiring the transfer of notes and measurements from a notebook. The plane table consists essentially of a drawing board, the lower side of which is fitted with an attachment point for a tripod, and an alidade or sight-rule, which is a straight-edge fitted with sights. The alidade is used to sight objects required to be shown on the map and to record on the drawing paper the directions in which the objects lie relative to the point of observation. The plotting scales engraved on the alidade or sight-rule allowed the surveyor to prepare his map with the minimum of calculation. Some plane tables were fitted with an integral compass. From the late Victorian era to the end of the First World War plane tables were used by military officers for field sketching, map making, and reconnaissance.
Cavalry Sketching Boards were essentially smaller and more portable versions of the plane table. Originally designed by Colonel W. H. Richards, who taught military surveying at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst c.1880, the sketching board was improved by Major Willoughby Verner who was also briefly Professor of Topography at Sandhurst. Verner patented his own improvements in 1887 and 1891 and the sketching board became generally known as the ‘Verner's'. W. J. Bosworth patented further improvements in 1897, and versions of the board remained in use until around 1930. They were produced by several scientific instrument makers, including Adie, J. H. Steward, Aston & Mander, Lawrence & Mayo, A. Edgell & Co., and Houghton’s. Cavalry Sketching Boards were designed to be strapped to the arm of an officer or cavalryman on the bridle arm. The board was attached to the arm by a leather strap with a swivel joint. This enabled the user to twist the whole board on their arm to align the compass accurately. The board incorporated a compass for taking bearings, and the sketch was made on a paper roll which was wound around the side rollers. As a sketch was completed, the paper roll was advanced to supply more paper. Sketching boards were widely used during the Boer War and WW1. During WW1 the sketching board was often used by the artillery, cavalry, and pilots and observers of the Royal Flying Corps to make sketches of enemy positions and trenches.
Simpson Reflecting Sight Ruler was designed by Lieutenant J. C. Simpson of the 4th Rajputs Battalion, British Indian Army, for use with cavalry sketching boards and plane tables. Its mirror and pin sighting arrangement was said to enable objects to be sighted more easily and with greater accuracy than other similar instruments. It had a short pin at one end, a folding sighting mirror at the other end, and was 10 inches long, with scales on the edges of 2 inches and six inches to the mile.
J. H. Steward Ltd: James Henry Steward (1817-1896) established his business in London in 1852 as a maker and retailer of optical, scientific, military and surveying instruments. J. H. Steward was the head optician of the company and had businesses at 406 Strand, 457 West Strand and 54 Cornhill in London. In the mid 1800s he became the optician to Her Majesty's Government and the National Rifle, and National Artillery Associations. James Henry Steward died in 1896. J. H. Steward Ltd was incorporated in 1912 and continued in business in London until 1973. The main London office was sold in 1971, and from 1971-1973 the company rented premises in Catherine Street. All the remaining stock and long serving staff member George Goble (c.1916-1975) were moved to Catherine Street. The business finally moved to 154a Church Road, Hove, Sussex in 1973, before finally ceasing trading in 1975.
Condition:
In excellent condition and full working order, with minor signs of wear and use. The compass is in very good condition and finds North well. The canvas case is in very good condition, with general signs of wear and use, and some wear to the leather straps. The Simpson Sight Ruler is in very good condition.
Dimensions:
Board: 300mm x 440mm,
Canvas Case: 330mm x 460mm
