The quintant has a black-lacquered alloy frame, with a black plastic handle. The pressure clamp and worm screw are positioned at the bottom of the index arm with a black plastic micrometer drum with white markings. The instrument has no shades. The round index glass is non-adjustable and the round horizon glass is moved by capped screws.

Attached to the quintant is a fixed threaded telescope bracket. The telescope is 120 mm in length with a large objective lens. Accompanying the instrument is a yellow shaded eyepiece, a bottle of oil for lubrication, a piece of chamois leather, three detached feet for screwing in the font of the instrument, and an adjusting pin; one unidentified part is missing.

The instrument has a black-lacquered alloy scale with white markings from -5° to 140° by 1°, measuring to 140°. Micrometer to 1 arcminute.

The quintant is contained in a square fitted wooden box, with a Kelvin Hughes certificate of examination in the lid, dated 27 June 1952.