A very rare Georgian short neck silver prismatic pocket compass by Charles Schmalcalder sold for Henry Macrae in leather travel case c1828

Prismatic compass with 1⅞” hand drawn floating green card balanced to verso with sealing wax, the outer reversed scale from 0-360°, numbered every 10°, divided to every 1°. Reversed 32-wind rose, fleur de lys indicating north, the decorated centre marked “Schmalcalder’s, London.” Jewelled suspension. Flat bevelled glass.

Contained in a silver hunter case, the interior painted black. Convex-faced 45 degree silver reflecting prism and dust cover. Silver folding sighting vane set to lid. Transit lock set to bezel, momentary lock to side. Georgian short neck suspension post and bow. The hunter case and suspension post carrying hallmarks for silver and 1828, the case further carrying hallmarks for London and the silversmith William John Hammon I. The outer lid engraved with the retailer, “Macrae, 34 Aldgate” and carrying the military broad arrow.

All within its original burgundy leather over wood, dark blue silk and velvet lined travel case, twin swinging catches.

Condition: The compass card crisp, floating freely and finding north easily, the transit and momentary locks working correctly. The glass clear, the prism and folding sight mechanisms smooth, the sighting wire replaced. The silver case in very good condition, with only a few marks, the hinge pin replaced. The travel case in exceptional condition, the linings clean and bright.

Comments: This Schmalcalder prismatic compass was a very high quality instrument for its time, and the first we have seen in such a hunter style case. Charles Schmalcalder was working out of 399 Strand in 1828, and would have commissioned William Hammon to create a bespoke silver case for this compass as a special, possibly one-off, order.

Henry Macrae (1807-1889) was in apprenticeship to approx. 1829, and is recorded as working from 34 Aldgate (an address which was also his home) from 1833. Given that he was very early in his business career, this would suggest that the compass was either created by Schmalcalder for display in his shop at 399 Strand, or possibly as an exhibition piece, before being acquired by Macrae who resold the compass to the military, hence the broad arrow.

Charles Augustus Schmalcalder registered Patent No. 3545 for his prism and folding sight improvements for compasses on 5 March 1812, and more information can be found HERE (courtesy of trademarklondon.com).

A really lovely and rare Georgian compass, and one for the compass connoisseur.