A rare Verner’s Patent Cavalry Sketching Board, Serial No. 1046, made by 'Elliot Bros., London' c.1899. The board is stamped 'Verner's Patent' on the front left edge and ‘Elliot Bros., London' just below the clinometer on the rear.
Cavalry Sketching Boards were produced at the end of the 19th century by several other makers, including J. H. Steward and Aston & Mander. Steward catalogues published between 1896-1910 listed several different versions of the Verner's Patent board, describing it as the 'Improved Patent Cavalry Sketching Case' (1896), 'The Verner Improved Sketching Board with Clinometer' (1901), and the 'Verner Cavalry Sketching Board' (1910). All three versions offered the option of having the board fitted with the Zigzag Ruler - 'an attachment fitted to the board to prevent the ruler getting lost, and at the same time to permit lines to be drawn on any part of the paper in any direction'. By the time the 1916 catalogue was produced, the Zigzag ruler was no longer listed as an option, with the ruler now being held in place by rubber bands.
The Elliot version of the Verner’s Patent board is made of mahogany, boxwood and brass, and features a built-in compass, a ruler on an articulated 'Zigzag' brass arm, and a clinometer on the rear. It is quite unusual to find a Verner's that retains its original 'Zigzag' ruler, as these were often removed and lost. In the Steward catalogues it was described as 'a development of Colonel Richard's well known Sketching Case, having special tension rollers, and the Compass is divided to show every 10 degrees for setting the working meridian; also the following scales: inches and tenths, 4 inches to the mile, and six inches to the mile (to show every 50 yards), Horizontal Equivalent Normal. A boxwood semi-circular Clinometer is fitted on the back, with plumb bob that swings on a metal stud at back being pressed, and fixes on pressure being withdrawn from same'.
The Cavalry Sketching Board: was originally designed by Colonel W. H. Richards, who taught military surveying at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst c.1880. The board was revised and 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, Elliot Bros., 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 one of 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.
Elliot Brothers: was established at Gray's Inn in London by William Elliot (1781-1853) as a maker of drawing instruments. By 1807 he had moved to High Holborn, and by 1816 he was manufacturing items such as telescopes and barometers. In 1830 he moved to 56 Strand and was joined in the business by his two sons, Frederick Henry Elliot and Charles Alfred Elliot, and they expanded into producing a wide variety of scientific instruments. William Elliot died in 1853 and his sons continued the business as Elliot Brothers. In 1865 Charles Elliot retired and Frederick continued to run Elliot Brothers until his death in 1873, leaving the business to his wife. During the late 19th century the company also manufactured electrical instruments, and in 1893 they amalgamated with Theiler & Co. Telegraph and Instrument Makers. In 1900 the company moved to new premises at the Century Works in Lewisham. In 1916 a new company was formed - this was known as Elliot Brothers (London) Ltd and continued to produce scientific and mathemtcal instruments.
Condition:
The board, compass, ruler, and clinometer are in very good condition and good working order, with minor signs of wear and some marks. There are some marks and general signs of wear and use on the woodwork, and some marks to the articulated brass arm. The leather wrist strap attached to the rear of the board is in good condition, with general signs of wear.
Dimensions: Board: 175mm x 245mm, Compass: 30mm diameter
