L0237-002

A magnetic dry-card compass of a type patented by Henry Jennings in 1818 (no. 4259) Long Caption: A magnetic dry-card compass of a type patented by Henry Jennings in 1818 (no. 4259). The compass bowl is made of brass. The card is mica covered with paper, and is marked in points, with a fleur-de-lys at north. The unusual graduations resemble those which used to be pasted into the bottoms of bowls when just a needle was suspended on the pivot. The bowl has no gimbals, although the patent drawings show two gimbal rings with four planes of gimballing. The compass is now held in a wooden, canvas-covered case with a leather strap (now broken). Credit line: © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Admiralty Compass Observatory collection Object: ACO1517 Artist: Jennings and Company Date: circa 1818 Medium: brass; glass; iron; mica; paper Size: 136 mm x 74 mm Click here to buy a bespoke print of this image.