A brass box cased, Francis Barker & Son pocket compass, dating from c.1875-1900. The compass is clearly signed on the card and stamped on the inside of the lid with the distinctive 'Trade Mark London' Barker logo. The reversed letter 'S' that forms part of the logo dates the compass to sometime after 1875, as this style of logo was adopted after Francis Barker's death in 1875. This design featured in many Barker catalogues until the mid 1920s. Further details of this Francis Barker compass design can be found in: Trade Mark London by Paul Crespel, and at the trademarklondon.com website. It also features in Kornelia Takac's book Compass Chronicles.
Condition
The compass is in very good condition, full working order and finds North well. The brass case is in good condition, with some of the original lacquered finish still present. The glass is in very good condition. The hand drawn paper compass card is in very good condition. The lid fits very well.
Dimensions: 46mm diameter
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-SGI. They continue to produce the renowned Barker M-73, widely acknowledged to be the world's finest prismatic compass.
