Compass

Bellow a Dip Needle Compass probably made by W. & J. George of London and Birmingham . An exactly same design is at Miami University and presented by Thomas Greenslade in his "Instruments for Natural Philosophy" website. The Miami apparatus is signed. The W. & J George company operated until 1897.

dip needle

W. S. Darley & Co. Dipping Needle with the original case.

TROUGH COMPASS
This compass shows North and only North. I am tempted to think it was made for an Artic explorer. The needle is very delicate and long with a jeweled pivoting cup. It has its own storage case. Under the dial, there is a large coil inbbeded in white wax (probably parafine: 1930?) that obviously was designed to dampen needles oscillations.

thjrough_compass_face compass_needle

The dumping coil fills all the space under the jeweled needle. The picture at the right shows the needle with its carrying box.

Dip Circle by Central Scientufic. Bought through Edison Gallery of Chicago. Had to sell....

Miner/plumber's dipping needle compass with case. Mostly used to find old cast iron pipes . The miners also used such instruments to find vanes or deposits of metals in the mines. The compass still shows its virtues. If you get close to any kind of metal, the nidle "goes" directly to it. Kinda cool. It is made by Joseph G. Pollard out of New York.The case is worn but intact.