Ross London Pocket Compass with Leather Box - in HIGH Tide or Low Tide I’LL BE by Your Side - Vintage Style Engraved Compass - Adventure Compass - Antique Style Gift Compass

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In good condition, the body is engraved 'PATENT NO 1926. MADE BY F. BARKER & SON LONDON FOR CASTANON MONGEY. CIA MADRID. 4751'. My limited research suggests the compass may have belonged to William Lee who was proprietor of The Marquis of Granby tavern from 1856 to 1875. The Marquis of Granby itself dates to the late 1700's and operated consistently for almost 150 years before being converted into a cinema in the early 20th century. Wood cased compasses are for the most part unsigned, but this travellers compass in a mahogany case, has a makers name which although partially obscured, reads ‘Wm SIMMS’ at the very north point of the dial ( see photo). Set in a mahogany case, with an attractive paper sunburst dial, divided into 90 degree quadrants and displaying 32 cardinal and inter-cardinal points, it's in very good condition with a glass crystal retained by a brass bezel, and a shapely blued steel needle engraved 'N' & 'S' in gold letters.

The compass is of the floating card dial type with a gemstone pivot & probably dates to between 1860 & 1870.Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1855, he was later appointed Optician to HRH the Prince of Wales. A rare design of compass by a well respected maker, its' signed Short & Mason Ltd, London on the underside. The elegant blued steel needle is also engraved with 'N' & 'S' gold letters for clarity, and sits under a glass crystal which is free of any damage. Made toward the latter part of the 19th century, this brass cased green card dial prismatic compass with folding sight vane is inscribed "Chas Owen Optician 46 & 48 City Rd EC" and "W. H. H. Waters" on the reverse. Listed Exhibitor - British Industries Fair. Manufacturers of Cinematograph Projectors, Photographic Lenses, Lenses for Aeronautical Cameras, Photographic Cameras, Prism Field Glasses, Telescopes, Sporting, Military and Naval. (Stand No. G.61d) [1]

It has a Singers Patent style mother of pearl dial which pivots on a gemstone bearing for reduced friction and as can be seen from the photos is in very good clean condition. The fitted lid and underside is inscribed with an issue number of '365' and doubles as a stand when attached to the base. The leather case is embossed 'MARTINS-BIRMm LIMd 1916' with military arrow and has fully intact stitching and shoulder strap. The attractive paper dial is in exceptional condition with no staining as is often found in other compasses of the period, and is set under a jewelled steel needle measuring 6.5" in length, the glass crystal is also original and in excellent condition.After duty in South Africa, he was sent in 1904 as the War Office representative with the Russian army in Manchuria traveling extensively across Russia. His final visit before the October Revolution came in October 1916, when he had an audience with Tsar Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov at his headquarters in Mogilev.