The sextant has a polished brass tulip-pattern frame and a wooden handle. The tangent screw and clamping screw are positioned on the back of the index arm. The sextant has four shades, three red and one green, and three horizon shades, two red and one green. Index-glass adjustment is made by a screw and on the horizon glass by capstan screws.

Attached to the sextant is a magnifier on a 77mm swivelling arm. There is also a threaded telescope bracket that is non-adjustable. The telescope is 83 mm in length with an erect image. The sight-tube is 82 mm and has two red shaded eyepieces, an adjusting pin, and a screwdriver by A. Ridge and Sons.

The instrument has a polished brass limb with an inlaid silver scale from -5° to 135° by 15 arcminutes, measuring to 114°. The sextant has a silver vernier measuring to 15 arcseconds, with zero at the right.

The sextant is contained in a mahogany keystone box, with a trade label in the lid for John Nixon, Commercial Road, London (1850-69).

It is possible that Baharie may have been the retailer of this item rather than the manufacturer.