The octant has an ebony frame and limb with a brass index arm, fittings, and inlaid ivory plates on the crossbar and on the back of the frame. The tangent screw and clamping screw are located on the back of the index arm. The octant has three index shades, one green and two red. Index-glass adjustment is made by a screw and on the horizon glass by a square-headed screw, a detached key, a lever, worm gear and a milled clamping screw. The sight vane has two pinholes and a swivelling shutter. The silvering of the glasses is in poor condition and one foot of the frame is broken. Accompanying the instrument is a milled adjusting key. The octant is contained in a keystone mahogany box.

The instrument has an inlaid ivory scale from -4° to 108° by 20 arcminutes, measuring to 88°. The octant has an ivory vernier measuring to 1 arcminute, with zero at the right.

The firm Norie & Wilson, used the name on this instrument from 1883 to 1899, which is later than the instrument can be dated. Perhaps it was refurbished and fitted with a new nameplate.