Objects Database

Prismatic Compass

Accession Number

1006.2012.1

Object Name

Prismatic Compass

Created

29/08/2012

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

29/08/2012

Brief Description

Prismatic Compass with brass case and hinged lid. Mother of pearl dial.

Materials

brass, mother of pearl, glass

Dimensions

5.5(diameter x 3(h) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Colour

black

Provenance

Bit of a curio this as it looks like the standard issue military prismatic compass that was issued from WWII right through to the 1970's but there are no markings anywhere to be found except for some faint lettering inside the lid. It's also slightly smaller than the standard military issue.
It certainly doesn't look like a cheap copy, with a brass case and mother of pearl dial, so it could be a civilian version of the military ones.
It's perhaps interesting to note that this type of compass required a protractor(see related items) to take bearings from a map - a rather complicated procedure which became much easier with the advent of the 'silva type'compass which incorporated the protracror in the baseplate, effectively amalgamating the two procedures.
To add a little more mystery to this wee compass - we are not quite sure where it came from - one of the many items that Mick Tighe acquired in his early collecting days.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Mick Tighe

Acquisition Date

29/08/2012

Condition Check Date

29/08/2012

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

29/08/2012

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Related Items

Mils (Military) Compass
Mils protractors
T.G. Co. Ltd Ex Military Brass Compass
Verner's Pattern MK VIII Compass (1917)

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