A Negretti & Zambra Singer's Patent-type Pocket Compass, dating from c.1890. The mother of pearl compass card is hand painted in the classic Singer's design, and signed by 'Negretti & Zambra, London'. This compass was made by Francis Barker for retail by Negretti & Zambra - there is a tiny version of the distinctive Barker 'Trade Mark London' maker's mark within the lyre just below the star-shaped North marker. Barker's compasses were usually supplied unsigned to retailers who then signed and sold them on as their own products. It is quite rare to find one with both the maker's and retailers markings.
The compass has a mother of pearl card, jewelled pivot, slightly domed glass, and brass hunter case. The brass case would originally have had a nickel-plated finish - this has worn away from the exterior to reveal the brass underneath, but is still present on the interior of the lid. The glass is a high quality modern mineral glass replacement.
Negretti & Zambra: were highly successful scientific and optical Instrument makers 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 instruments for the Air Ministry.
Samuel Berry Singer (1796 - c.1875) was a master mariner from Southampton when he patented his unique compass card design in July 1861. Its high contrast design was intended to be much easier to read in low light than conventional compasses of the time. His design was widely adopted by scientific instrument makers, but Singer himself did not benefit greatly from his invention, the patent lapsed in 1868, and he ended his days living in poverty in Kincardine on the Firth of Forth. Versions of his design continued to be made until the First World War.
Condition:
In very good condition and good working order. The compass finds North well. The mother of pearl compass card is in very good condition. The glass is a slightly domed mineral glass replacement. The brass case is in good condition, with most of the original nickel plating worn away from the exterior.
Dimensions: 45mm diameter (65mm including loop)
