A rare and very good oxidised brass pocket compass by Francis Barker c1880

Antique pocket compass having 1¾” mother of pearl floating hand-drawn Singer pattern card displaying cardinals and intercardinals, divided to 10°, north indicated by a large triangle. The card suspended on an agate, under flat glass with hand painted red lubber lines and cardinals to verso.

Oxidised brass hunter case marked with lubber line in lid and bezel sited transit lock. Offset suspension post and pinned bow.

Condition: The dial very clean and crisp, swinging freely and finding north easily, the lid-activated transit lock working well. The glass clear, the red markings intact. The lacquered oxidised brass case retaining almost all of its original finish, showing slight wear commensurate with age and use.

Comments: This antique compass is the work of Francis Barker who generally produced white label goods for the trade. Although this particular compass has not been seen before, very similar compasses, both in terms of the heavy brass case and in terms of the red hand-decorated lubberlines and cardinals to the glass, are included on the compassmuseum.com website and in Paul Crespel’s book “Trade Mark London – The Story of Francis Barker & Son, Compass and Scientific Instrument Makers.” The style of the brass case dates to around 1865-1870, but the use of luminous paint to highlight the “north” triangle dates this compass to nearer 1880, as Balmains Luminous Paint was only patented in 1877.