WELCOME TO THE MUSEUM'S LOBBY 

"The magnetic compass was the first technological invention after the wheel to change the world."
Amir D. Aczel, in The riddle of the compass


Aeronautical Compasses

Nautical Compasses

Marching Compasses
Wrist and Pin-on Compasses
Survey & Artillery Compasses
Escape Compasses
Pocket Compasses
Sundials
Other Compasses
(jewelry, watches and objects for everyday use, galvanometers etc.)
Religion &
Esoticism
The exhibits are allocated to ten* different categories depending on their function. To visit a specialised department, just click on the picture of the relevant category. You can also use on all pages the pull-down menu button COMPASS TYPES. Clicking on the button SEARCH will lead you to the instruments via the manufacturers' names or technical words (example: miner's compass). The five chapters under MISCELLANEOUS are also being completed on a weekly basis.

* The pin-on lapel compasses are displayed together with the wrist compasses because of their very limited occcurrence.

Copyright: The content of this Website is covered by Copyright OCM 2008-2013 and access to this website is subject to the OCM (COMPASSIPEDIA) Disclaimer.
OUR NEWS LETTER
 April 2013
Dear visitors,
This museum is not meant as a simple exhibition of antiques but pretends to give an overall picture of the technology being gradually replaced by satellite navigation systems. We thank all those who steadily help building up what is becoming the largest reference data base worldwide for all sorts of compasses, by sending us pictures and/or technical and historical information. 

Discover our new items:

- Miscell. / Bibliogr.: We could add to our library an original edition of the famous and rare book Der Kompass by A. Schück (1911). This German captain gathered on 79 large-size tables (10¾ x 13¼") pictures of all compass types known at his time, some of the antique ones being enhanced with gold paint! (see more details in our SHOP, Part 2 - Documentation)

- Aeronautics: the very early Air Ministry (A.M.) P.2 model, the Lkf5b signed ASKANIA and a new entry about Japanese WWII compasses.

- Survey / artillery: the oldest known model built by Breithaupt, the Gustave LÉZY system with integrated electrical lighting, the hanging miner compass with 24 h dial made by ROSPINI, a Dutch military system featuring a special scale im MILS for deviation correction and the model for WWI French Machine-gun Units.

- Marching and Orienteering: an Austrian model signed MILLER INNSBRUCK. The chapter about SILVA was partly re-written after we received many documents like a GAME for U.S. Boy and Girl scouts, several User Instr., a brochure dated 1950 and flyers for two movies, one about use of map and compass and the other about orienteering competition. Last not least a very early TYPE 3-400.

- Wrist comp.: a WWII Japanese model with a watch in a case, an elegant Waltham with leather wristband (for ladies?), the picture of Luftwaffe pilots carrying their AK-39 at their life-vest and a Japanese model (Engl. version with Radium-lights).

- Other comp. (weather stations): a German instr. with floating rose and folding wind vane, an old magnetic bar for labor testing in a fountain-pen-like case.

- Pocket comp.: British-made ENBEECO compass for Boy scouts.

- Nautical comp.: The compass maker HECHELMANN improved Thomson's rose in 1874 and was supported by the Admiralty of the German Imperial Navy, a patent by C. PLATH (1887) and an antique IMRAY compass.