A rare Francis Barker M-72 liquid filled military prismatic compass, complete with its original leather case. The Barker M-72 compass was a direct descendant of the legendary MK III that was in use with the British armed forces throughout the second world war. Produced in the UK in 1972, it was a development of the M-71 which was introduced in 1971 and was one of the last Barker compasses to feature a mother of pearl card. The M-72 was only made during 1972, in very limited quantities, before being replaced by the M-73 in 1973. The M-73 remains in production today, is still regarded as the world's finest liquid prismatic compass, and is standard military issue with many armed forces.
The M-72 has a brass case and lid, mother of pearl compass card, prism sights, and rotating bezel. It is calibrated in degrees. It comes with its original leather case and shoulder strap.
The M-72 was very similar to the M-71, with a brass case and lid, and mother of pearl card. Most of the M-71 and M-72 compasses did not have maker's or retailers marks. Some, like this one, had 'Pat. Appd. For' engraved on the base, or in rare cases the retailer's details. Almost all of the M-72 compasses were originally exported to Australia. (Further details of the M-72 can be found in Paul Crespel’s book Trade Mark London, which is available as a PDF on the website trademarklondon.com)
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 owned by Pyser-Optics of Edenbridge in Kent. They continue to produce the renowned Barker M-73, widely acknowledged to be the world's finest prismatic compass.
Condition:
The compass is in very good condition, in full working order, and finds North very well. There are no bubbles in the fluid. There is some very minor wear to the black painted finish of the brass case. The luminous night lights have now expired and would need to be renewed if the compass was to be used in total darkness. The leather case is in very good condition, with some wear to the shouder strap.
Dimensions : 85mm x 60mm x 34mm
