A rare and attractive high quality William IV short necked gilt brass compass in leather case by W&S Jones c1835

1½” diameter gilt brass pocket compass having enamelled card dial with hand painted cardinals, intercardinals and false points, and carrying the retailer’s details “W&S Jones, Holborn, London.” Polished flat steel bar needle with jewelled suspension, highly-polished reflector ring, bevelled convex crystal. Gilt brass barrel form case with central rib, short-necked suspension post, and Georgian-style bow, transit lock button. Contained within its original, dark cerise velvet and silk-lined, fish skin covered case with swinging brass keeper.

Condition: The compass remaining in completely original condition, with virtually all its gilding, slight marks to verso and losses to bow, small flaw to side at 2 o’clock, the crystal near-perfect. The travel case in exceptional condition, retaining virtually all its original gloss finish. The linings bright and clean.

Comments: This most attractive compass is unusual, being of smaller size and having a typical Georgian bow but with a shorter suspension post. The gilding, tested as gold, may have been applied using the newly invented gold plating technique, but more likely to have been a result of the traditional amalgamation process as the cast brass bow and suspension post bear casting marks which plating would have hidden to a greater degree.

In lovely original condition, this antique pocket compass is very much a collector’s piece and would make a very special gift.