| Instrument | : | Quintant (pentant) |
| Manufacturer | : | David White Co. |
| Country of origin | : | U.S.A. |
| Manufacturing year | : | 1941 |
I've obtained this quintant on a trip to Egypt. The term 'quintant' comes from the fact that the instruments arc covers 1/5th of a circle (=72º). The use of the mirror on the index arm multiplies this by 2 (=144º) and makes it especially usefull in celestial navigation. The quintant was the last real development for nautical navigation before the introduction of electronic navigation equipment as Decca and GPS, but in basic shape still shows resemblance with the backstaff that was invented four centuries earlier.
I was told that the instrument arrived in Europe during the second world war on board of an US Navy vessel. After the war the vessel and it's sextant(s) was sold to Egypt. One of the Egyptian officers took the instrument back home when he retired. It comes with a case that includes a calibration table that is dated 11/25/1942.