A vintage natural sine compass by Stanley of London.  It is a heavy brass item, octagonal in shape, measuring approximately 2.75 inches/7 centimetres in diameter and 1.75 inches/3 centimetres in depth. This is a vintage, if not antique, item in good condition for its age. I have not attempted to clean this piece as I don’t want to ruin the patina.

These compasses are instruments of high quality designed for use by the military and other navigators.  Their trigonometry functions, enabling measurement of dips and elevation in terrain, also led to them being used extensively by geologists and surveyors.

William Stanley was an inventor of precision drawing and measuring instruments who, during his lifetime, filed 78 patents in the UK and the USA.  His company was founded in London in 1854 and expanded over the following years as new products were introduced and the company were awarded key military contracts.  Stanley went into liquidation in 1999.

Please also see my other items as I am always happy to combine postage for multiple purchases wherever possible.

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