A WW2 F. Barker Mk III Military prismatic Compass, complete with a custom-made fitted wooden case, This compass was retailed by T.G. Co. Ltd (The Gramophone Company - part of the EMI group). On the underside of the compass are the serial number and a makers identification mark, together with the War Office broad arrow stamp. T.G. Co. Ltd compasses were made by F. Barker & Son (1932) Ltd, with the letter ‘B’ applied as a prefix to the serial number to show that it was manufactured by Barker. The Mk III was first produced in 1932 and remained in production until the late 1960s. It was the standard issue British Army compass throughout WW2.
This compass has been completely overhauled and restored at sometime in the past, with its original black painted finish removed, the original luminous paint replaced, the inside of the lid painted white, and the brass case polished. There is a bubble in the fluid, but this can be temporarily hidden in the bubble trap by inverting the compass.
Further details of the Mk III compass can be found in: Trade Mark London (p.247-9) by Paul Crespel, at the trademarklondon.com website
Condition
The compass is in good condition, good working order, and finds North well. The brass case is in good condition, with general signs of wear and use. There is a bubble in the fluid, but this does not affect the function of the compass, and can be temporarily hidden in the bubble trap by inverting the compass. The luminous night lights have now expired and no longer 'glow in the dark'. The fitted wooden case is in very good condition.
Dimensions: 58mm diameter (85mm inc. prism) x 30mm
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 carried by Pyser-Optics. They continue to produce the renowned Barker M-73, widely acknowledged to be the world's finest prismatic compass.
***Please Note: this compass is
not available for shipping to the USA***
