Code BA20091001: Nautical English Hunter Compass, c. 1900
| This a nice and very unusual hunter compass made in England around 1900. The case is Nickel and in excellent condition for its age without dings or dents. It is engraved with the retailer name GREGORY on the front lid. It has a strong hinge and the lid springs open when the button is pushed. It has a glass and in excellent condition without any chips or scratches. It has a very nice paper dial with nautical design. The needle mechanism is very unusual on this compass: instead of having the jewelled bearing attached to the needle, which is held on top of a pivot fixed to the compass, it is rather fixed to the bottom of the compass. The needle axis plays the role of the pivot and allows it to rest on the bearing. As a matter of fact, it is not possible to keep the needle in balance on top of the bearing. To solve this problem, the maker added a metallic bar under the glass which allows the upper part of the needle axis to go in a hole located at the center of the bar. This provides balance to the needle and also allows the transit lock to lift the needle when the lid is closed. This is very unusual but allows the compass to work in unstable environments without much swinging of the needle. It measures around 51mm in diameter. |
SOLD
