CECIL E. HANSON COLLECTION
ANTIQUE SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

FOREIGN LEVELS

Hildebrand-Wichmann-Werke, Freiberg (Sachsen) and Berlin, Germany

Serial Number: 206725
Type: Builder's Level
Telescope Length: 13"
Level Length: 4.5"
Horizontal Circle Diameter: 5"
Height: 7"
Weight: w/o Box - 6.4 lb; including Box - 14 lb
Condition: Very Good, Focuses, Crosshairs
Box: 15" x 8" x 7"
Found: Obtained from C.F. "Andy" Andrews in Temple City, California. Shipped to him at end of WWII
CEH Inventory# FL27

Hildebrand Background

In 1873, Max Hildebrand became a business partner of August Lingke & Compagnie in Freiberg, Saxony. He had gained experience in Paris, England and in the world-famous Berlin workshop Pistor und Martins. For several years, the devices bore the brand name Hildebrand früher August Lingke, around 1880 it was changed to Hildebrand & Schramm. The company, which manufactured a complete range of products, including mining measuring instruments and tools, was under his leadership achieved an excellent position on the market. Let us recall the so-called Freiber ball, which allows the forced centering of the theodolite with an accuracy of 0.05 mm, or a repetitive mining theodolite. The company equipped  the unsuccessful polar expedition of the Swedish airman Salomon August Andrée in 1897 with a precise theodolite.
 

During the crisis after World War I, the company Hildebrand-Wichmann-Werke was established in 1921 by merging with the well-known Berlin company. It had  a wide range of production, including office and laboratory supplies. After 1950, the plant was called VEB Freiberger Präzisions-Mechanik (FPM).

- From: https://www.surveyinginstruments.org/col/en/instrument/default/25?obj=man