Surveying Antiques - Dating Your Young Instrument

How To Date Your W. J. Young, Wm J. Young, and Young & Sons Instruments:

These are estimated dates that should be accurate to within about 4 years +/-.

On Young instruments, no serial numbers below 3000, but these instruments can be roughly dated as follows:

All instruments from 1825 through 1840 are signed "W. J. Young"

All instruments from 1841 through 1865 are signed "Wm. J Young"

All compasses and transits made 1832 to 1846 contain additional marking "patent"

Young Serial Number Table

1854 – 3227	1880 – 5354	1906 – 7858
1856 – 3524	1882 – 5547	1908 – 8050
1858 – 3717	1884 – 5739	1910 – 8243
1860 – 3804	1886 – 5932	1912 – 8435
1862 – 3870	1888 – 6125	1914 – 8628
1864 – 3936	1890 – 6317	1916 – 8821
1866 – 4006	1892 – 6510
1868 – 4198	1894 – 6702
1870 – 4391	1896 – 6895
1872 – 4584	1898 – 7087
1874 – 4777	1900 – 7280
1876 – 4969	1902 – 7473
1878 – 5162	1904 – 7665