{"product_id":"singers-patent-pocket-compass-c-1895","title":"Singer's Night Marching Compass c.1902","description":"\u003cp\u003eA late Victorian Singer's Patent-type pocket compass, dating from c.1902. Although there are no maker's marks, this is a well-known Francis Barker \u0026amp; Son design. Barker produced many compasses of this type from c.1875 to c.1900, some signed with the distinctive 'Trade Mark London' logo, but most supplied unsigned to the retail trade. The compass is marked inside the lid '5\/07\/02' - which may be the date it was produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis type of compass was intended for night marching use, and is similar to the 'Military and Luminous Compass' that appeared in the 1893 edition of the J. H. Steward \u003cem\u003eIllustrated Catalogue of Military Instruments\u003c\/em\u003e: 'with half black and half white dial, and unmistakable luminous painted N. and S. and luminous direction line on lid, as supplied for the Egyptian Campaign'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe compass has a mother of pearl card, jewelled pivot, brass hunter case, and a transit lock operated when the lid is closed. The brass case has a 'bronzed' finish - which remains in excellent condition. The compass card is hand painted in the classic Singer's design, with a large triangular marker at the north point, a circular marker at the south point, and a sighting line inside the lid - all of which would originally have been luminous. The type of luminous paint used was most probably a version of 'Balmain's Luminous Paint', a compound of calcium sulphide that was made luminous by exposure to sunlight or by burning a strip of magnesium ribbon near the compass. It was patented in England by William Balmain in 1877, and was often used in compasses during the last quarter of the 19th century. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\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 mentioning a near fatal accident he had experienced, Singer said 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\u003eFrancis Barker \u0026amp; Son\u003c\/strong\u003e: were established in Clerkenwell, London in 1848, as a maker of compasses and scientific instruments. For the next 100 years the company was one of the most prominent British scientific instrument makers. Francis Barker was a master craftsman who produced a very wide range of compass designs over the years, supplying major retailers such as Negretti \u0026amp; Zambra, J. Lizars, C. W. Dixey, Casella, Dollond, and many others. Francis Barker died in 1875, but his company prospered until 1932, when it was taken over and became F. Barker \u0026amp; Son (1932). During WW2 the company was a major supplier to the British government, with their iconic Barker Mk III liquid prismatic service compass being standard issue to the armed forces. After WW2 the company changed hands several times, relocating to Edenbridge in Kent in 1961. The business is still based in Kent, and is now owned by Pyser Optics, who continue to produce the renowned Francis Barker M-73, widely acknowledged to be the world's finest prismatic compass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn very good condition and full working order. The compass finds North well and the transit lock is working, locking the card when the lid is closed. The compass card and glass are in very good condition. The brass case is in very good condition, with the original bronzed finish completely intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50mm diameter (75mm including loop)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Compass Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48001087438999,"sku":null,"price":3675.0,"currency_code":"NOK","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/6131\/files\/Singers_Luminous_July_-_64.jpg?v=1783687710","url":"https:\/\/www.compasslibrary.com\/en-no\/products\/singers-patent-pocket-compass-c-1895","provider":"Compass Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}