Philip Harris & Co. Ltd, Prismatic Compass c.1890
Price
$302.00
Sale
A Greencard Prismatic Pocket Compass, signed by Philip Harris & Co. Ltd, Birmingham, dating from c.1870-1890. The compass has a brass case with circular glazed window, hand-drawn green paper compass card, jewelled pivot, optical prism with sliding lens cover, and folding sighting vane. There is a transit lock, operated when the sighting vane is folded down. It would originally have had a blackened or 'bronzed' finish to the case, but this has been polished away over time.
Philip Harris & Co. were retailers rather than scientific instrument makers, and this compass would have been made by one of the major manufacturers, such as Elliot Brothers Ltd or Francis Barker & Son. The maker would have supplied the compass to Philip Harris & Co., and the Harris name would have been added to the case. This type of compass was a development of Schmalcalder's Patent compass of 1812 which introduced the idea of using an optical prism, combined with a sighting vane, to improve accuracy when taking bearings.
The British Army used this type of compass from around 1860 to 1914. This particular example is unusual in that it is smaller than the standard size, at only 52mm in diameter. Most examples of this type of compass were larger, at around 70mm.
Philip Harris & Co. Ltd, Birmingham: was originally established in 1817 in Digbeth, Birmingham, by Thomas Ellis, a surgeon. Philip Harris joined Ellis in 1825. The company traded as a wholesale Chemical Laboratory Company, occupying a site in the Bull Ring from the 1860's until 1889, when they produced their Catalogue of Chemical and Physical Apparatus and Chemicals. They moved to 144–146 Edmund Street in 1904. Originally the company operated as a manufacturer of chemists and surgical products, before adding medicines to their list of products in 1866. They traded at 144-46 Edmund St, Birmingham from 1904-1945, with the name being changed to Philip Harris & Co. (1913) Ltd in 1913. At its peak the company was one of the most prominent suppliers for the school science market.
Condition:
In very good condition and full working order. The compass finds North well. With just some minor wear to the brass case.
Dimensions:
Compass: 52mm (diameter), 78mm including prism