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Large late 19th century brass nautical compass signed Kelvin-White Boston-New York

$3,234.99

£2,407.79

€2,700

CA$4,431.12

A$4,928.38

CHF 2,573.45

MX$59,973.11

NOK 32,866.83

SEK 30,823.29

DKK 20,554.16

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About the Item

Large brass and glass nautical magnetic compass, late 19th century, signed Kelvin-White Boston-New York, mounted on custom-made oak and brass board. Measures 33x25x22 cm - inches 13x9.8x8.8, compass diameter cm 20.5 - 8.1 inches. The last photo is the gift box. The compass is consisting of a cylindrical-shaped brass vessel called a mortar, on which fund is attached is a hard metal stem, called the sensing element, on which rests the eight rose winds, suitably constrained, complete with goniometric circle so that zero coincides with magnetic polarity. To minimize friction, the mortar was filled with liquid, which was intended to quickly dampen any oscillations in the complex, and closed at the top by a strong protective glass. The inside of the compass is equipped with a second 0° to 180° goniometric circle The Greeks and the Romans were still unaware of the possibility of harnessing magnetic fields for orientation, while it seems that this possibility was already somewhat known to the Chinese: around 2600 B.C. Emperor Hoang-Ti was able to overcome Prince Tchi-Yeou in battle thanks to a "magic" chariot, the See-Nan (chariot pointing south). The emperor, thanks to this device, identified the enemy's escape route, despite the fact that the enemy had concealed it through a blanket of smoke: fixed on the chariot was a human-shaped wooden silhouette that rotated on itself and, with its arm outstretched, always pointed south (pointing south of course was also pointing north at the same time, but south was considered by the Chinese to be the most important cardinal point). The Chinese also used their discoveries related to magnetic fields as a form of entertainment and spectacle: they would throw magnetized arrows as if they were dice, and these would line up in a south-north direction as if by magic, which greatly impressed and amazed the spectators. The earliest hints of the use in Europe of instruments that harnessed magnetic force for navigational orientation date back to the late 12th century, mainly due to the knowledge brought by Arab merchants and navigators: we find hints of this in Alexander Neckam's work "De nominibus utensilium" and in the works of Guyot de Provins in which the magnet is referred to as the "sailor's companion." The inventory of a 13th-century Sicilian ship, the San Nicolo, also mentions the presence of a magnet and a "ligno compass" on board. The Kelvin-White company grew out of the professional relationship between William Thompson (1824-1907) professor of physics and James White (1824-1884) manufacturer of optical and surveying instruments. Thompson designed instruments and Kelvin made them. They contributed to the first laying of telegraph cables at sea, and their collaboration lasted until Thompson's death. William Thompson was appointed in 1892 as Lord under the name Baron Kelvin of Largs. In 1874 Thompson wrote an article on compasses for a magazine, this article gave a major boost to the demand for compasses and of nautical instruments. After White's death in 1884, Kelvin continued with the business, equipping new workshops to produce precision nautical instruments, becoming an official supplier to the Admiralty, which adopted a compass patented in 1899 on Royal Navy ships.

Dimensions:

Height: 8.8 in (22.36 cm)Width: 13 in (33.02 cm)Depth: 9.8 in (24.9 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Brass

Period:

Late 19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1890

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use.

Seller Location:

Milan, IT

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1020246013492

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