OTHER COMPASSES

The museum displays here its own exhibits as well as pictures sent in by visitors (see copyright mentions).
Visit us regularly to discover new treasures.

JEWELRY
- Hat pin, necklace pendants, charms, postcards, medals etc.

OBJECTS FOR EVERYDAY USE
- Antiques: paperweight, collapsible tumbler, opera glasses, tobacco boxes, thermometer, pocket watch...
- Modern: key ring, pocket knife, multifunction instrument, galvanometer, DECOUDUN compass etc.

WATCHES

- POSTCARD -

Lovers' Postcard



Click on the picture for an enlarged view.

France, early 20th c.
(stamp value: 5 centimes)
 Description / explanation
Head streamer : The Language of the Compass
Each cardinal point has a meaning, starting from the cool North and getting gradually hotter towards South.
West = Friendship, SW = Tenderness, SE = Love,
South = Passionate love.

Bottom line:
Show your feelings by painting the corresponding arrow.

Medal



Click on the picture for an enlarged view

Description / explanation
This is probably a medal for the winner of an orienteering competition. Name, date and location can be engraved on the obverse.
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- JEWELRY -

Hat (or tie?) pin - England, late 19th c.
Technical Data
- Diameter: 10 mm
- Length: 75 mm

CHARMS

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Necklace pendant in fob watch shape - France, late 19th c.
possibly from the city of Draguignan which has a dragon in its coat-of-arms

Technical Data
- Diameter: 22 mm
- Depth: 5 mm
- Weight (with chain): 175 gr

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Pendant in fob watch shape - France, late 19th c. -
Obverse : mistletoe

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 Technical Data
- Material: silver coated metal
- Diameter: 23 mm
- Depth: 5 mm
- Poids : 3 gr
Necklace compass pendant - France, late 19th c.

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 Technical Data
- Diameter: 21 mm
- Depth: 10 mm
- Weight: 10 g

Obverse design: Britanny's coat of arms
- a Duke's crown (duchy of Britanny)
- ermine tips as a background
- an ermine - but walking against the normal direction (from right to left) on coats-of-arms.
Compass Pendant - Germany, late 19th c.



Charm for bracelet
The chain is composed of double rings made of elephant hair (?)
Click on picture for enlarged view.
Technical Data
- Dimensions: 19 x 19 mm
- Depth: 6 mm
- Weight: ? g
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Charm (Germany?), late 19th c.
   

This tiny compass is concealed inside a reproduction of a helmet of the German Jäger zu Pferd cavalry regiment (Mounted Chasseurs). Their motto:
MIT GOTT FÜR KAISER UND VATERLAND
(with God for Emperor and Homeland)
is punched around the insignia where the word KAISER is abbreviated "K/R".
Theses words are from a traditional song:
"Kredenze den Becher uns Vater Rhein
stimm ein in das fröhliche Klingen
heut wollen beim deutschen Kaiserwein
den deutschen Trinkspruch wir bringen
Trag ihn von den Alpen zum Nordseestrand
mit Gott für Kaiser und Vaterland"		 The photo below shows the first words "MIT GOTT".



Technical Data
- Material: silver
- Compass diam.: 10 mm
- Height: 25 mm
- Length: 25 mm
- Breadth: 15 mm
- Weight: 5 gr
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ANCHOR

Fob compass with anchor design
Origin: England, late 19th c.



(Click on the picture for an enlarged view of the dial)		 Technical Data
- Compass diameter: 30 mm
- Depth: 8 mm
- Length (with chain): 170 mm
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CAPSTAN

Capstan shaped silver charm or cuff?. A piece of rope is wound around it. It is flanked by two belaying pins.

The stamps at the base indicate: the silversmith's initials (J.A), the city of Birmingham in England (anchor), the year it was made : 1881 (lower case gothic g)

NOTE: the anchor should have been shown upright. This is usually the position of the anchor for gold jewels. The transverse boom bears the words written REAL SILVER.

Belaying pin (Picture Yannick Le Bris)

Click for enlarged view of silver hallmarks		 Technical Data
- Compass dia.: 13mm
- Depth: 10mm
- Height: 40mm
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Charm - England, early 20th c.

 The chain bears the maker's punch (C.W) of Charles Wilkes (Mott Street, Birmingham).



Technical Data
- Compass dimensions
- Diameter: .. mm
- Depth: mm
- Weight: .. gr
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Victorian miniature cased compass and thermometer
The case is made from mother of pearl with brass mounts and the compass and thermometer are either side when open. They both work fine. The case closes on a little catch.

Technical Data
- Dimensions: 29 x 18 mm


Pictures courtesy of Ebay seller Flikmywick

Click on the pictures for enlarged views.
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- OBJECTS FOR EVERYDAY USE -

Paperweight, England, late 19th C.



(Picture Jaypee -  priv. coll.)		 Technical Data
- Material: marble
- Diameter: 60 mm
- Height: 32 mm
- Weight: gr?
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Collapsible tumbler, England, late 19th C.
Technical Data
- Material: aluminium
- Diameter: 70 mm
- Height (tumbler): 80 mm
- Depth (case closed): 25 mm / 1 inch
- Weight: 45 g
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Opera glasses - France, late 19th c.

(see also in the category SUNDIALS our opera glass with sundial)




Two opera glasses: each one is equipped with a compass on one side and a mirror on the other. Metallic structure, telescopic extension for focussing. Cardinal points in English (top) and French (above)

Technical Data
- Diameter front lenses: 45 mm
- Diameter rear lenses: 18 mm
- Breadth open, front lenses: 110 mm
- Breadth open, rear lenses: 85 mm
- Length, fully extended: 105 mm
- Length, folded: 85 mm
- Weight: 100 g
(click on picture for enlarged view of flyer in English and French)
Bakelite, black, rough surface


Technical Data
- The overall dimensions of all three vary only very slightly.
- Weight: about 20-30 g
- Focussing by means of feathered sliding bars
- Dial: Cardinal points in English, divisions 360 degrees, clockwise
- Marking: MADE IN FRANCE
- Each lense fits neatly in a frame on the main stem.		 Bakelite, ivory imitation
(this exhibit was kindly loaned by Mrs Sue Cubitt)



Technical Data
- Dial marking: BAVARIA
- Divisions: Four 90 degrees quadrants

(click on each picture for detailed view of dials)		 Bakelite, amber imitation



Technical Data
- Hexagonal lense frames
- Screw actuated focussing extension
- Dial: French cardinal points, compass rose with divisions but no graduation
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Tobacco Boxes

Small Compass on a silver plated Chewing Tobacco Box - USA, end 1800s

Picture on the lid: the compass fills the whole body of a sitting frog holding three tobacco leaves on its left arm and three other unidentified leaves on its right arm. Note: in fact, they look like the rose leaves on the box' underside, which would match the product's designation: "ROSE LEAF Chewing tobacco". The frog's hands are on both sides of its mouth.
Near its right foot are two mushrooms (a big one and a small one).
In the background, a two-masted sailboat (schooner or ketch) with the letter "L" (for the tobacco manufacturer's name LORILLARD) on its aft main sail is sailing towards the box' upper left corner on the ocean's horizon line and a sun (with eyes and eyebrows) is setting behind the horizon in the upper right corner.
Two flowering plants (probably stylised tobacco) are standing at the lid's left border line: a tall one with five leaves and a short one with only three leaves.



Text at the lower border line (1 mm high letters):
SOMERS BROS. Brooklyn, N.Y. - Patented Sept. 24th and Nov. 18th 1878 (last digit unsure)
Click on pictures for enlarged view.

Picture at the box' underside: a heraldic rose between six leaves (three on each side). The text parts ("P. LORILLARD & Co's ROSE LEAF Chewing tobacco") are written on a curled strip.		 Technical Data
- Dimensions: 88 x 56 x 16 mm
- Weight: 54 g
- Cardinal points in English
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Small Compass on a Snuff Tobacco Box - end 19th c.

Description: Small snuff tobacco box made of reddish-brown horn and bone parts. The hinge fits perfectly. The compass needle turns freely and finds North.


Click on pictures for enlarged view.		 Technical Data
- Dimensions: 68 x 35 x 66 mm
- Weight: 30 g
- Cardinal points in French (or roman language)
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Thermometer, England, 1880

Antique gold compass with a bloodstone, a rare and wonderful Victorian item.
It opens to a compass/centigrade thermometer and a photo locket.
It features flower chasing on one side and a bloodstone disc on the other side.
A walking gold lion is attached at the top.



Click on picture for enlarged view.
(The Online Compass Museum isn't the owner of this exhibit - Pictures courtesy BELFOR ANTIQUES)		 Technical Data
- Material: gold
- Diameter: 7/8 inch
- Depth: 3/8 inch
- Weight: 17,9 gr

BELFOR ANTIQUES added the following information:
9K gold tested with 9K acid.
The bloodstone was tested with refractive index liquid.
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WATCHES

Antique Pocket Watches

Pocket watch, Switzerland (?), end 19th c. Antique pocket watch - Belonged to a German captain
Click on the pictures for enlarged views - Photos Jaypee - Priv. coll.





Technical Data
- Material: steel, silver and gold plated
- Diameter:
- Depth:
- Weight: gr
-Markings inside the lid:
- top: AT
- bottom: 39497


Description: The rear face displays a boat inside a circle with eight corners. Three leaves are displayed in the top and bottom corners.
The boat is a paddle steamer rigged like a two-masted schooner with three sails: fock and square rig fore, mainsail aft. Midship are the chimney and the paddle.


Wrist Watches

There are several types of wrist watches with an integrated compass: some have a separate capsule underneath that can be observed when flipping up the watch's case (IWC or Breitling Military). Some have a swivelling case with the compass being on the opposite face (OCTO).
In other models, the compass needle rotates around the same axis than the watch's hands (TIMEX).


 Technical Data
- Diameter: ... mm
- Depth: ... mm
- Weight: ... gr

Compass with transparent capsule. The bottom glass features a short ruler (20 mm) and some lines and dots, whose meaning is not obvious
The watch case can swivel in its frame. On the rear face is a mirror.


INCURSORE is the Italian word for intruder

(Pict. Breitlinglounge.de)

(Click on the picture for adetailed view)
 Breitling DPW Compass Military - Incursore

Printed on the glass capsule bottom:
- 20 mm ruler
- Network of lines (unknown function)

Read more about this item on the website www.Breitlinglounge.de 



(Pict. Breitlinglounge.de)

The compass capsule can be extracted.
(Click on the picture for a detailed view)
 Breitling Colt Military Diver Compass.

Extremely rare item. Only 800 were produced and used under very severe conditions. Very few still exist.
Read more about this item on the website www.Breitlinglounge.de 

Technical Data
- Production year: ca. 1985
- Casing: Steel
- Diameter: 38 mm
- Depth: 15 mm



(Pictures autoni-2007)
(Click on the picture for a detailed view)
 Manufacturer: IWC Porsche Design

Technical Data
- Production year: ca. 1980?
- Casing: Steel
- Diameter: .. mm
- Depth: .. mm

This watch was also available with a moon phase display (on 12 hours).


(Pictures sent by an anonymous collector)


(Click on the picture for a detailed view) 		Manufacturer: Paul Picot

Technical Data
- Production year: ?
- Casing: Steel
- Diameter: .. mm
- Depth: .. mm
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(Click on pictures
for detailed views)

(Pictures Olivier /
Corsaire75)
Manufacturer: OCTO - Model name SKYNAVY
Read more about OCTO on the website www.forumamontre.com
(in French and English language)
Technical Data
Very rare combined instrument (revolving watch / compass)
- Production year: 1960's
- Casing: Steel
- Diameter: 38 mm
- Depth: 17 mm
- Weight: .. gr
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Multifunction Instrument

PROFILE - MULTIOPTIC: Little instrument with numerous functionalities for young explorers.
France (?) 2nd half of 20th c.





Click on the pictures for enlarged views.

Users' instructions
(in French, copies can be ordered)		 Technical Data
- Dimensions: .... mm
- Weight: ... gr
- Integrated funtionalities:
Compass, sundial, mirror, magnifying glasses (spy glass, microscope etc.)
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GALVANOMETER

It looks like a compass and reacts like one, but  it ain't a compass.

Definition (for more technical details, see WIKIPEDIA)
A galvanometer is an instrument designed for detecting and measuring electric currents. It is an analog transducer that produces a rotary deflection of some type of pointer in response to electric current flowing through its coil.
Early galvanometers consisted of a wooden compass capsule, a simple coil made of insulated copper wire and two cable terminals. The coil wire was wrapped like a box around the magnetic needle's axis (passing through four holes, see pictures below). Each wire end was connected to one of the brass terminals basis. To measure a circuit' s current, one connected two sections of it to each terminal by means of measuring wire sections.



Click for enlarged view.
 Technical Data
- Diameter: 105 mm
- Depth: 28 mm
- Weight: 120 gr
- Wooden capsule, dial made of cardboard with quadrants divisions (zero at N and S, a star at 90°)
- Marking: Schutzmarke = registered design
- Threefold coil

Pictures: Early galvanometer manufactured by a company called J.O.Z. It's logo was a bearded man with a soft cap holding in his right hand a lance-shaped object (lightning?) and a big ring in his left hand (Germany, late 19th c.).

History
The deflection of a magnetic compass needle by current in a wire was first described by the Danish physicist Hans Christian Ørsted (Oersted) in 1820. The phenomenon was studied both for its own sake and as a means of measuring electrical current. The earliest galvanometer was reported by Johann Schweigger at the University of Halle (Germany) on 16 September 1820. André-Marie Ampère also contributed to its development. Early designs increased the effect of the magnetic field due to the current by using multiple turns of wire; the instruments were at first called 'multipliers' due to this common design feature. The term 'galvanometer', in common use by 1836, was derived from the surname of Italian electricity researcher Luigi Galvani.
Originally the instruments relied on the Earth's magnetic field to provide the restoring force for the compass needle; these were called 'tangent' galvanometers and had to be oriented before use.

(see also the website boussoles des tangentes).
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DECOUDUN Compass

PROFILE - J. Decoudun was a photographer and inventor (late 19th c.). He invented among other systems this device which he called boussole du photographe pour excursions. It was used to determine the sun's height and hence the resulting luminosity. The description (below right) explains the example shown on the drawing (center): orientating the compass with the attachment ring pointing to the subject/landscape, the latter will face the sun at 6 p.m. while he/it will be receiving light from the side in the early afternoon.



Export version (P.M. = past midday)
(Photo sent by a visitor - priv. coll.)


(Click for enlarged view)

DESCRIPTION AND INSTRUCTIONS 
(exerpt from Frédéric DILLAYE's book
La théorie, pratique et l'art en photographie,
1891, La Librairie Illustrée, Paris)

Technical data
- Diameter: ... mm
- Depth: ... mm
- Weight: ... gr
- Scale : 6 -12 a.m., 1 - 6 p.m.
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