A rare Negretti & Zambra nickel-plated brass, hunter cased military compass, dated 1917. Engraved on the lid with the maker's mark 'Negretti & Zambra, London', the date '1917', serial no. 906, and the Broad Arrow mark - showing that this compass was official British government issue, rather than a private purchase item.
The compass has a nickel-plated brass Dennison case, a paper compass card, and English bar needle with jewelled pivot. The lid is opened by a push button at the bow. This type of Dennison pocket watch cased military compass was produced by N&Z from about 1907.
Similar compass designs were sold by other well known makers and retailers - including Francis Barker and Short & Mason - from the late Victorian era to the 1920s. Further details of the Negretti & Zambra military compass and the Dennison case can be found at the excellent compasscollector.com website.
Negretti & Zambra: Negretti & Zambra of London were highly successful scientific and optical Instrument makers and retailers throughout the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Henry Negretti (1818-1879) and Joseph Zambra (1822-1897) formed their partnership in 1850. The company produced scientific and optical instruments and also had a photographic studio based in London. They were appointed opticians and scientific instrument makers to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, King Edward VII, the Royal Observatory and the British Admiralty. Henry Negretti was the first man to take aerial photographs of London from a balloon. Throughout World War One Negretti and Zambra produced instruments for the Ministry of Munitions and developed many aviation instruments for the Air Ministry.
Condition:
In good condition and good working order, the compass finds North well. The glass, needle, and compass card are in very good condition. The push button opens the lid as it should, and the lid closes very well. There is some wear to the nickel plating, and a few marks to the case.
Dimensions: 45mm diameter (60mm inc. loop)
