Case for plotting protractor

Manufacturer Matthew Berge

Datec 1809

Object number00028680

NameCase

MediumWood, brass

DimensionsOverall (Closed): 40 x 177 x 177 mm, 450 g
Overall (Open): 20 x 355 x 177 mm

ClassificationsTools and equipment

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Dorothy Sharp

Terms

DescriptionThis case houses a ship's plotting protractor manufactured by the scientific instrument maker Matthew Berge. Made from polished flat wood, the case has brass hinges and hook catches, and a grooved interior in which the protractor snugly fits.HistoryMatthew Berge was an apprentice of the famed London scientific instrument maker Jesse Ramsden. After the death of Ramsden in 1800, Berge took over the firm and continued the business trading under the title 'Berge late Ramsden'. Optical instruments, levels, and sextants made and sold by Berge are generally signed 'Berge late Ramsden', while others such as gunner callipers and marine barometers are marked 'Berge' or 'M. Berge London'. Nathaniel Worthington, an apprentice for seven years, became Berge's successors upon his death in 1819. SignificanceFor hundreds of years, protractors have been used to measure angles and circles. Plotting protractors were essential for safe water navigation, especially when using charts that did not come with a compass rose.