Spencer, Browning & Rust
SBR Logo of Spencer, Browning & Rust
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| Industry | Navigational instruments |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Spencer and Browning |
| Successor | Spencer, Browning & Co. |
| Founded | London, England 1784 |
| Defunct | 1840 |
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Key people
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William Spencer Samuel Browning Ebenezer Rust |
| Products |
Octants Sextants Telescopes Compasses |
Spencer, Browning & Rust was a London firm that manufactured instruments for navigational use during the 18th and 19th centuries. The predecessor company of Spencer and Browning was established by William Spencer and Samuel Browning in 1778, before they entered into partnership with Ebenezer Rust in 1784. After the death of Ebenezer Rust's son, the successor business was known as Spencer, Browning & Co. The firm of Spencer, Browning & Rust made a variety of navigational instruments, including octants and sextants.
William Spencer and Samuel Browning's partnership lasted from 1778 to 1781. The company of Spencer and Browning manufactured instruments for navigational use. The partners of the company were also referred to as "optical and mathematical instrument" makers.
When Ebenezer Rust joined the partnership of Spencer and Browning in 1784, the firm of Spencer, Browning & Rust was created. It was in operation in London from 1784 to 1840. At first the company did business from 327 Wapping High Street in the London dockside district of Wapping, a neighbourhood of ship chandlers, sailmakers and other nautical trades. Later, the firm operated out of 66 Wapping High Street. The large number of surviving nautical instruments suggests that the company was successful.
There is ample evidence that the firm catered to an international market. Examples of their navigational instruments are found in the museums of a number of countries. There are existing octants that have had the phrase "à Londres" added to the company name. In addition, a 1796 portrait of a German sea captain, painted in Spain, depicts him with an octant that has the Spencer, Browning & Rust name. There is also evidence that Swedish seafarers used SB&R octants. Not only were the initials "SBR" found on the company's instruments, it was found on the instruments of associated (including successor) firms, as well as those produced by manufacturers elsewhere in England, Scotland, and the United States. Spencer, Browning & Rust would deliver divided instruments to those other manufacturers, who would then assemble the components and offer them for sale.
Spencer, Browning & Rust manufactured a variety of navigational instruments, including octants, sextants, telescopes, and compasses. One of the earliest instruments for nautical use was the quadrant; this was followed by the octant. Also referred to as a reflecting quadrant or Hadley quadrant, the octant had small mirror(s) that permitted alignment of the reflected image of the sun with the horizon. It was easier to use than the Davis quadrant and thus generally had fewer errors. While Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727) invented the principle of the octant, it was two other men who developed the octant independently, one in England and the other in America. The octant was patented by English mathematician John Hadley (1682–1744) in 1734, and soon thereafter was utilized by most British navigators. American optician Thomas Godfrey (1704–1749) developed the octant about the same time in Pennsylvania. Also among the nautical instruments that the company of Spencer, Browning & Rust made were sextants. Developed later than the octant, in 1759, the sextant (pictured) was utilized to measure the altitude of a star or other object in the sky. The measurement then allowed the user to determine his geographical position.
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Wikipedia