{"product_id":"singers-patent-wrist-compass-c-1890","title":"Singer's Patent Wrist Compass c.1890","description":"\u003cp\u003eA rare Singer's Patent wrist or binocular case compass, dating from c.1890. This is a very small example of a Singer's compass, at just 25mm diameter - most brass cased Singer's were around 40-45mm. The compass has a hand painted mother of pearl card, brass box case with hinged lid, and a transit lock operated by a small lever on the edge of the case. It has a flanged baseplate with six mounting points, intended to be used to rivet the compass onto either a leather wrist strap or the lid of a binocular case.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough there are no maker's, this compass was most probably made by Francis Barker \u0026amp; Son. Barker supplied compasses of this type to Negretti \u0026amp; Zambra at the start of the 20th century, and two versions featured in the N\u0026amp;Z catalogue for 1908. One was described as 'suitable for fitting into the lids of field or marine glass cases. With Bronzed brass cases, with snap lids, fitted with Singer's pearl day and night floating dial'. The wrist compass version was described as a 'Wristlet Compass for use on Horseback. This instrument has proved a great boon to military men, cyclists, travellers and others. It consists of a best quality pearl dial compass, which is securely fixed into a leather wrist strap'. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSamuel Berry Singer (1796 - c.1875)\u003c\/strong\u003e was a master mariner from Southampton. He patented his unique design in June 1861, although he had been working on it since 1853. Its high contrast compass card was intended to be much easier to read in low light than conventional compasses of the time, and was considered to be a significant innovation. It was tested for night use by Trinity House and the Royal Navy. David Livingstone, the celebrated Victorian explorer, used one of Singer's compasses and provided a testimonial in the Negretti \u0026amp; Zambra catalogue for 1864. The administration and licensing of Singer's design and the allocation of the patent serial numbers was handled by Negretti \u0026amp; Zambra. Although his compass was widely adopted by British scientific instrument makers during the second half of the 19th century, Singer himself did not benefit greatly from his invention. The patent lapsed in 1868 when he was unable to pay the stamp duty required for its renewal, and he ended his days living in poverty in Kincardine on the Firth of Forth. C. T. S. Birch Reynardson described meeting Samuel Singer in his book \u003cem\u003eSports and Anecdotes of Bygone Days \u003c\/em\u003e(1887): 'He was the inventor of the compass called \"Singer's Compass\", which is used in the navy and by almost all nautical men. From being partly made on the face of mother of pearl, it shines in the dark; and when no other compass can be read Singer's can be seen distinctly. He took out a patent for it, and he was to have made his fortune by it; but, alas! For poor old Singer, those that got hold of his invention promised everything and performed nothing. It is often the case that an honest man finds brains, and that dishonest men make use of them; so it was in this case. The poor old fellow, from trusting too much to their sense of righteous dealings, was fair swindled out of his invention. The poor old man was all but mad upon the subject. And I never met him but he would spin me a yarn about the injustice he had received'. After describing a near fatal accident he had experienced, Singer told Birch Reynardson it was 'Not half as bad as the trick those fellows played me about my compass'.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVersions of Singer's iconic design continued to be made until after the First World War. Further details of the history of the Singer's Patent compass can be found at compasscollector.com, and in \u003cem\u003eCompass Chronicles\u003c\/em\u003e by Kornelia Takacs (Schiffer, 2010).\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn very good condition, full working order, and finds North very well. The compass card and glass are in very good condition. The brass case is in very good condition, with some minor wear and a few marks. The lid closes very well and the hinge is strong. The transit lock is working, locking the compass card when the lid is closed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25mm diameter (baseplate 38mm) x 15mm height\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Compass Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":68192274153623,"sku":null,"price":220.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/6131\/files\/Barker_Wrist_X_compass_-_8.jpg?v=1793363047","url":"https:\/\/www.compasslibrary.com\/en-es\/products\/singers-patent-wrist-compass-c-1890","provider":"Compass Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}