Book Collection
"The Barritt-Serviss Star and Planet Finder"
This is the star finder by Barritt-Serviss made sometime after 1906 (there is a copyright of 1906 on the bottom edge). These star finders were apparently made up through the 1960s. Since I don't have the booklet that came with the finder I can't determine its age. The blue colored detailing on the finder hints to a later production around 1955 or later. I had never actually seen one of these star finders in person and I was surprised by the size of it. It has brass thumb tacks that cover the front and back. It appears that some of the thumb tacks might have been replaced on this star finder. According to Peter Grimwood's "Card Planispheres - A collectors Guide" the brass thumb tacks that were used did vary somewhat over the years and I have seen pictures of other examples that had thumb tacks similar to mine. I placed a pen next to the star finder for scale. It is about 15 inches by 15 inches in size, about 1/2 inch thick, and made from 1/8 inch fiber board with a string to represent the observers meridian.
Front
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