NOTE
The fashion consisting of wearing jewellery comprising a tiny compass
started at some moment in the mid 19th Century. The reason for
this is unknown but we can imagine that the general enthusiasm about
the expeditions, in Africa, to the North and South
poles, discoveries overseas together with the exotic aspects
of
the colonies or the British Commonwealth can have played a role.
We discovered a
document pretentiously called "patent" and filed in 1856 by the French
jeweller
Edme
POPARD
by virtue of which, he alone was entitled to sell any fashion article
like tobacco box, walking stick grip, purse, jewelry etc.
comprising a sundial with compass (follow name link for all details).
CONTENTS
•
JEWELERY and
gadgets
- Inserts, hat
pin,
necklace pendants, city coat-of-arms,
charms,
postcards,
medals,
stamps, French "fèves",
German students'
Bierzipfel
etc., roulette game or "
Fortune Wheel ?
•
OBJECTS
FOR EVERYDAY USE
- Antiques:
paperweight,
calendar
with pill box,
fountain-pen,
matches
safe,
collapsible
tumbler,
opera
glasses, powder box,
tobacco
boxes,
compendiums
(weather
stations)
- Modern:
toys,
finger ring,
key ring,
comics,
pocket knife,
multifunction
instrument,
- Electr. measuring instr.:
galvanometer,
magnetic
bar
and probe,
Radio Antennae,
Acqua
Magnetic Locator,
-
Photographers
compasses (
DECOUDUN,
BERRY,
HOULLIOT,
CHAIX,
WATKINS,
PLAUBEL,
Orient,
Graff,
Gessinger,
Flight Logistics etc.)
•
WATCHES
Lovers' Postcard
Medals
Click
on
the picture for an enlarged view
|
|
Description / explanation
This medal was probably made for the winner of an orienteering
competition.
Name, date and location can be engraved on the obverse.
|
UNEG:
Union Nationale des
Évadés de Guerre
(National
Association of Escaped Prisoners of War)
Click
on
the pictures for enlarged views
|
Back side: fitting for button-hole
Designer: Courtois, Paris |
These
medals feature
a typical
French
Army marching compass called boussole
directrice.
Its marching course arrow points to
the word
FRANCE (or the abbrev. UNEG) and an
opening in the barbed wire fence
symbolizing the escape from the next country located east, i.e. Germany.
(NOTE: See also the Russian and East-German TOURIST
buttons)
Compare to the Médaille des
Évadés
(Medal
for escaped prisoners of war 1939 - 1945) which looks entirely
different.
NOTE: The
needle's
north end which
is pointing to about 45° East
corresponds in fact to a user located at some place in northern
Alaska... Magnetic North in the
1940's was
located about 5° West in Europe!
|
Most items on this page contain a tiny insert compass. One of the most
important manufacturer in the 19th and early 20th century was the
French maker
HOULLIOT.
We have copies of numerous documents like lists of clients in
the whole world, a
price
list dated 1883
and a
bill form of a manufacturer of
fashion compasses (1890s).
The table below disolays most of the items in the price list.
Some of them are transparent (see-through, called "
deux glaces"
i.e. 'two glasses'
in the list) like the one with a ship's anchor-shaped needle and other
featured a thermometer in the other side (
pic. at r.,
click on image for view of both sides).
Go to the museum's shop for more details.
|
|
Hat
(or tie) pin
England, late
19th c.
Technical Data
- Diameter: 10 mm
- Length: 75 mm |
CHARMS
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 |
|
|
Pendant
in fob watch shape
France, late 19th c.
|
Obverse
: mistletoe
|
Technical
Data
- Material: silver-coated metal
- Diameter: c.1 " / 23 mm
- Depth: 5 mm
- Poids : 3 gr
|
Necklace
compass pendant -
France,
late 19th c.
|
|
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. |
City
coat-of-arms -
France, late 19th C.
Paray-le-Monial (Pic.
courtesy D.
Beaudry) |
Roscoff |
Header
of a French instruments maker's invoice.
His specialty was fashion jewelery.
He was a client of HOULLIOT (1890s).
(Click
on image for
enlarged view) |
Compass
Pendant - Germany, late
19th c.
Charm for bracelet |
Space for engraving one's own coat of arms |
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 |
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".
These
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
photograph 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 |
Pendant
shaped like a German Students' Bierzipfel
A
Bierzipfel
(beer stripe) is usually made of linen in the colours of the students'
association (
Burschenschaft).
The ends are made of silver or in rare cases of gold and a motto or a
ed. In traditional
students associations of some universities (mainly medecine and
law) younger members (
Fuchs,
fox) need a leader (
Bursche,
). This
relationship being in reality a sort of master/slave relationship. The
Bierzipfel
is offered to an older student and rarely refused. This offering
represents a proof of friendship. The elder student acts as a guide in
the association and this relationship continues sometimes during the
professional carrer. The relationship is acted during an official
meeting (
Convent)
and in some cases the leader (called from then on
Biervater, beer
father) gives to his
Fuchs
(
Biersohn,
beer son) a
Weinzipfel
(wine stripe).
Bierzipfel
exist in four different sizes.
Click
on the image for enlarged view |
Bierzipfel ?
This metallic item has the shape but probably not the functionality of a
genuine Bierzipfel.
Dimensions
- Compass dia: 20 mm
- Stripe breadth: 15 mm
- Length (overall): 160 mm |
This device features a rose of the winds and an arrow, but it's not a
compass with a
magnetic needle. It looks more like a Fortune Wheel or a Roulette game
but the figures around the disc are different. Instead of numbers from
0 to 36 in random order like on a classical roulette we see here two
series of identical numbers. South, West and East are marked 30 but
North 32. Several pairs of numbers when added sum up to 30 (11 + 19, 17
+ 13, 12 + 18, 20 + 10) or 29 (15 + 14 and 13 + 16) but the numbers 7,
8, 9 and 10 make no sense in this respect except 8 + 9 and 10 + 7 = 17.
What can 17 and 29 mean?
The arrow is engraved with the words "Great Britain" on the feathered end side and "Out Spinner" on the arrow head side.
Whoever
knows the use of this object and maybe the game's rules is kindly
invited to help us improve this entry. Many thanks in advance.
(Click
on the
picture for an enlarged view of the dial) |
|
Fob
watch compass with anchor design
Origin: England, late 19th c.
Technical
Data
- Compass diameter: 30 mm
- Depth: 8 mm
- Length (with chain): 170 mm |
Capstan-shaped silver charm. A piece of rope is wound
around the
capstan. It
is
flanked by two elements looking like belaying pins. Logically, they
should represent the bars used to rotate the capstan. The transverse
boom (T-bar) was the attachment device for a pocket watch chain in a
button hole.
|
Belaying pin
(Picture
courtesy Y. Le Bris) |
Click for enlarged view of silver hallmarks |
Technical
Data
- Compass dia.: 13mm
- Depth: 10mm
- Height: 40mm
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.
|
Compendiums
(incl.
thermometer and barometer)
Antique
gold compass with a bloodstone, a rare 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 is not the owner of this exhibit - Pictures
courtesy BELFOR ANTIQUES) |
|
Technical
Data
- Material: gold
- Diameter: 7⁄8
"
- Depth: 3⁄8
"
- Weight: 17.9 gr
- England 1880
BELFOR
ANTIQUES added the
following information:
9K gold tested with 9K acid.
The bloodstone was tested with refractive index liquid.
|
Victorian miniature cased
compass and thermometer |
|
Technical
Data
- Dimensions: 29 x 18 mm
The case is made from mother of pearl with brass mounts and the compass
and thermometer are either side when open. The
case closes on a little catch.
Pictures
by courtesy of
Ebay vendor Flikmywick
Click on the pictures for enlarged views.
|
The older instruments featured a barometer needle
with
a fleur de lis-shaped short end. Later instruments featured
a moon
crescent and the case was cylinder-shaped (link
to pic.).
|
Compendium,
France c. 1900
The instrument in its case. The compass could only be used
when the instrument was opened.
(Pic. of a German Version HERE)
|
Technical
Data
- Dia.: c. 2 in. / 52mm
- Height: 28mm
The compendium comprised two hinged parts containing the compass and a
thermometer on one side and a barometer on the other.
Below: MORIN catalogue (c. 1930)
|
WIND
VANES
Foldable
windvane stowed under a glass cover
|
Pictures
by
courtesy of Andrew Stewart
(click on the images for enlarged views)
|
WInd-vane
compass made by Houlliot
|
Thermometer
on the rear side. Maker or retailer (unknown): G.R.
Dia.: c. 2
¼
" / 55mm
|
Click on the image for an
enlarged view
|
Technical
Data
- Folding windvane above a floating dial
- Cardinal points: German
- Dia.: 55 mm
- Height (erected): 40 mm
- Weight: 97 g |
Gimmicks
in youth literature:
the French
PIF
Gadget and its
German Version
YPS.
Marching and Wrist compasses (Link to the German
YPS
Fans web site).
List of issues with a compass:
- 0048 Die Kompaß-Armbanduhr
- 0292 Ein richtiger Marsch-Kompaß
- 0436 Die Kompass-Armbanduhr
- 0761 Die Kompaß-Uhr für Abenteurer
- 0866 Die Kompaß-Armband-Uhr
The
Mickey
Mouse
(in German:
Micky Maus)
booklet no. 25, dated June1992, comprises a chapter about survival
training - especially the use of the compass (
Kompassgebrauch).
AIRCRAFT
Toy bought in Bulgaria, maybe also built there. The compass
is not an instrument. Its card's high-speed rotation is
proportional to
the wheels' rotation on the ground and the two tiny balls running on
the card sound like the turbine noise of the engine!
Model
Feniks (=
Phoenix) 5
Click on the images
for enlarged views
|
The two tiny balls in the compass case
|
Technical
Data
- Material: metal (coloured part), plastic (black part)
- Compass dia: 1 in / 25 mm
- Aircraft dim. (LxB): 4 3⁄16
x 3 1⁄2
in
- Landing gear: (photo: view
of under-carriage)
- Aicraft model: MiG-29 or Sukhoi-35
- Made in Bulgaria ? |
Compass in a Finger Ring
and Wrist compass
This
tiny compass was sold 15 cts as a reward for consumers of breakfast
food boxes in the 1930s and '40s. The companies COCOMALT, Smith Bros.
Black Cough Drops and
NABISCO
Shredded Wheat
sent the ring together with a
postcard.
The compass itself was probably produced by the still existing company
HIS NIBS. After WWII, a
Japan-made
wrist compass (below) was sold
for 50¢.
Click
on the images for enlarged views
|
|
|
|
|
Japanese toy wrist compass manufactured 1950's.
Dim. of card: 3" by 6
7/
8"
Paperweight,
England,
late 19th C.
(Picture
Jaypee
- priv. coll.) |
|
Technical
Data
- Material: marble
- Diameter: 60 mm
- Height: 32 mm
- Weight:
gr? |
|
|
Technical
Data
- Dia.: 1 inch / 25mm
- Height: 2 in. /: 53 mm
- Weight: 58 g
- Compass: Cardinals in English, magnifying lens
- Calendar: rotating bush with notches below the days of the week in
French (L
= lundi /
Monday, M = mardiTuesday / Dienstag etc.)
- Period: France late 19th c.
- Bottom: Names of the months and number of days, name of inventor or
manufacturer:
Waldeck / Strasbourg
Click
on images for enlarged
views |
Fountain-Pen
OSMIROID 135
OSMIROID 135
|
Click
on images for enlarged
views |
Technical
Data
- Material: plastic
- Feather: steel & gold
- Length x Dia. (cap): 6 x ½
in. (150 x 14mm)
|
Matches
safe
Read all details about this item of WWII soldiers' indivual equipment
on the website
Olive-Drab.
Very interesting report about U.S.
soldiers' compasses on the website
junglesnafus.
Above: Type 1 with floating disc. Type 2 featured a needle.
|
|
Technical
Data
- Material: bakelite
- Dia.: 1.188 in / 30mm
- Length: 2.688 in / 70 mm
- Marking (on base): US
- Manufacturer of the compass (link
to comprehensive entry) : Taylor
|
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 |
(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 images 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 |
|
Compass-binoculars by J.
Laffargue
A compass inside the glasses can be observed via a mirror.
|
Abstract
out of "La
Nature. Revue des sciences et de leurs
applications aux arts et à l'industrie. Journal hebdomadaire
illustré. Nouvelles scientifiques, 1894, 2ème
semestre : n° 1096 à 1121. Author: Tissandier,
Gaston (1843-1899)
Full
description (2 p.)
available at the price of 5 Euros |
Click on the images for
enlarged views.
(pictures by courtesy of laugantik) |
Powder box made
by the French maker Collignon-Houlliot in the 1960s-70s for a famous
French make-up maker.
View from below
|
Technical
Data
- Dimensions: Ø 70mm
- Weight: 111gr
- Cardinals in English
|
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
Picture
of patent for objects with a sundial and a compass (dated Nov.
1856)
"Utilisation
of solar system and
compass on tobacco boxes, purses, walking sticks, jewels etc."
|
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 any other Roman language)
Patent: see item above
Compass probably made by HOULLIOT |
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
(French, copies can be ordered) |
Technical
Data
- Dimensions: 4 ¼
x 2 1/8
in. (108 x 55 x 55mm)
- Weight: 3 oz. (100gr)
- Integrated functionalities:
Compass, sundial, mirror, magnifying glasses (spy glass, microscope
etc.) |
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.
Pictures above left: Early galvanometer manufactured by a German
company called J.O.Z.
Its
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 French website
boussoles des tangentes).
Magnetic
Bar
Pictures
courtesy
Y. Stern |
This
tool is a magnetic probe in its most simple
form. It is however
extremely sensitive and used in laboratories for electrical
measurements or by geologists for determining ore
quality. It
comprises a solid magnetic bar, marked
N at one end, which is placed on a pivot. These parts can be assembled
and stowed in
a hollow wooden case. Before any measurement can be performed, the bar
must have reached a stable position relative to Magnetic North. The
magnetic fields either created by the current running inside an
electrical equipement or existing naturally in a piece of ore
will
cause the bar to be deflected. Examples of measurements tasks
a
laboratory.
Picture above: the tool assembled and the bar ( images not to scale)
|
The instrument below was patented in 1893 by Alexandre
WEBER
and the Swiss company Fabrique
d'Ebauches de
Sonceboz (FES, created in 1849)
which supplied compass cases for
many manufacturers. In fact, it is a small dip-needle
(inclination) compass but it can be used in any position to detect
magnetic fields in
electrical devices like live lines.
At left: The manufacturer's abbreviated name FES
At right: The Swiss Patent no.
|
Patent (excerpt)
(Click
on the images for enlarged views)
|
Magnetic
Probe
Technical
Data
- Diam.: 45 mm
- Length: 67 mm
- Weight: 45 gr
|
Similar
item made by Henri Burnat (H.B.). Check his Marching and
Pocket compasses
Picture
by courtesy fo yayadao |
Acqua
Magnetic Locator
The instrument called
Acqua
Magnetic
Locator
(link:
description)
is a device used for locating underground utilities designed as an
improvement
of dipping needles.
|
(Click
on the images for enlarged views)
|
Patent (excerpt)
|
Technical
Data
- Dim.: 3 1/2
x 2 3/8
x 3 1/4
in.
(90 x 60 x 82 mm)
- Built: 1956
|
Radio
Antennae
|
|
Pictures
courtesy
sandozem / Jaypee
(Click on images for enlarged views)
|
Technical
Data
- Dia.: 205mm
- Height: 410mm
- Weight: 1,950 kg
- Compass: pocket-type inserted in the top plate
- Casing wrapped with snake-skin imitating paper
- Selection button for short and long waves (petites et grandes ondes):
P.O. /
G.O.
- Coil inside
Manufacturer not known (his name was probably printed on the missing
bottom plate)
|
|
|
Pictures
courtesy
lionjo / Jaypee |
Manufacturer
DUCRETET
Technical data
- Dim. (frame): 710 x 405mm
- Dim. (foot): 280 x 230mm
- Compass: pocket-type inserted in foot
- Selection button for short, middle and long waves (petites, moyennes
et grandes ondes) : P.O. /
M.O. / G.O. |
1 - Jules Decoudun (1843-?) was a French
engineer, photographer
and inventor who lived in the 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.
2 - A. Berry was an optician in Turin (Italy). We don't know whether he
invented this instrument or only was a retailer.
3 - Houlliot (France), unknown UK mfr.
4 - A. Watkins: expose meter and Bee-meter
5 - Plaubel & Co.
6 - Graff: Light angle indicator (
Lichtwinkelanzeiger)
7 - Pathé Solar (Continsouza)
8 - Orient Compass
(Picture
courtesy
Simon A. Spaans - Click for enlarged view)
|
Manufrance catalogue for 1910 |
DECOUDUN
"PHOTO COMPAS"
Technical data
- Dimensions: 50 x 45 x 14 mm
- Around 1907
Decoudun retailed many other products for the young photography: ads
dated 1890-1985.
|
(Pic.
Jaypee
- private coll.) |
(Click
on images for
enlarged view)
|
Former
Italian
manufacturer, located in Torino, via Roma
Technical Data
- Diameter: 45 mm
- Scale: 4-20 i.e. 4 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- User instruction on reverse side
|
The user instruction was available in French, English and
German. Apparently illogical system. The disk is divided into
12
hours but
the scale doesn't match the
sun's positions during the day.
|
The printing plates for the catalogues and boxes still exist.
(For
more pics. click on the images) |
Description
and user instr.
according to Franz Winterer:
Houlliot also printed dials
featuring
two identical scales, each one
divided 0-18 in red and black
but numbered only 3-15, probably intended for another still
undiscovered instrument (dia. 37 mm, 15 per page). |
Compass
for
sunlight areas, patent filed by P.
CHAIX
in 1967
|
Germany:
In 1895, a Vienna review reported that a German called Otto Wiegandt
of Zeitz (Saxony) had
a certain number of Decoudun-type compasses built for him (published in
Bulletin du Photo-Club de Paris, no picture available).
|
British
system (no manufacturer
name) with inverted figures: South: 6 / North: 12
Picture courtesy
Godblessthismess
|
Picture
courtesy Simon
A. Spaans
(Click
for enlarged view) |
A. WATKINS
with Negretti & Zambra compass
Compare the pic. below to the drawing of an ad
published in the Bulletin
du
Photo-Club
in Paris (1895)
|
Technical
Data
- Diameter: 45 mm
- Length: 70 mm
- Around 1900
Markings (pict. at r.) :
Watkins
Exposure
Meter Patent Sole Makers R. Field & Co
Birmingham
|
|
A.
WATKINS: "BEE meter"
Picture
courtesy anonym. priv.
coll.
(Click
for enlarged view) |
Technical
Data
- Diameter: ... mm
- Height: ... mm
|
PATHE
SOLAR
Pictures
courtesy Thomas Meyer
(Click
for enlarged view) |
|
Technical
Data
- Dimensions: 75 x 75 x 36 mm
- The company CONTINSOUZA was created 1909
|
Pictures
courtesy Simon
A. Spaans
(Click
for enlarged view) |
PLAUBEL
& Co.
Peco-Actinometer
|
Technical
Data
- Diameter: 55 mm
- Height: 14 mm
- Around 1908
Former
German manufacturer located in Frankfurt-on-the-Main |
Pictures
courtesy Thomas Meyer
(Click
for enlarged view) |
|
GRAFF
Technical
Data
- Dimensions: 87 x 64 mm
- Thickness: 12 mm
Below: Official patents list. Benno Graff, Berlin, registered the
trade mark design in 1905
Transl.: Device for determining the position of a
photographical object in the open, comprising a plate with scale and
pointer and a compass.
|
Pictures
courtesy Thomas Meyer
(Click
for enlarged view) |
PRESTO catalogue |
ORIENT
Technical
Data
- Diameter: 35 mm
- Thickness: 11 mm
- Overall length: 52 mm
Item retailed by Demaria-Lapierre, Paris, in 1900-1991.
In a PRESTO catalogue dated 1918, there is a price for the
dial disk alone. This was probably for compass manufacturers, nor for
replacement.
|
Pictures
courtesy
Knut Reinicke
|
Official German publication for patents May 1930.
Inventor Max Gessinger of Oelsnitz im Vogtland (Saxony).
|
Max
GESSINGER
Technical Data
- Dia.: 45 mm
- Thickness: 15 mm
|
|
Photographers' Sun Position Compass
- designed by FLIGHT LOGISTICS
Compass for cinema and television teams but also for gardeners looking
for the best place for their plants in a garden!
|