A brass box cased, Francis Barker & Son pocket compass, dating from c.1875-1900. The compass is clearly signed on the card with the distinctive 'Trade Mark London' Barker logo. The reversed letter 'S' that forms part of the logo dates the compass to sometime after 1875, as this style of logo was adopted after Francis Barker's death in 1875. This design featured in many Barker catalogues until the mid 1920s. This compass is quite unusual in that it has a slightly domed lid. Further details of this Francis Barker compass design can be found in: Trade Mark London by Paul Crespel, and at the trademarklondon.com website. It also features in Kornelia Takac's book Compass Chronicles.
Condition
The compass is in good condition, working order and finds North, although sometimes a little slowly. The case is in good condition, with much of the original lacquered finish still present. The glass is in very good condition. The hand drawn paper compass card is in good condition. The domed lid fits very well.
Dimensions: 35mm diameter
Francis Barker & Son: were established in London in 1848, as a maker of compasses and scientific instruments. Francis Barker produced a very wide range of compass designs over the years, supplying major retailers such as Negretti & Zambra, J. Lizars, C. W. Dixey, Dollond, and many others. The company prospered until 1932, when it was taken over and became F. Barker & Son (1932). After WW2 the company changed hands several times and the name is now carried by Pyser-SGI. They continue to produce the renowned Barker M-73, widely acknowledged to be the world's finest prismatic compass.
