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ID #SA1229458
FOR SALE
£120
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Early 20thc Prismatic Compass by P. Orr, Madras
For sale by Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge
for sale €140     $152
£120
Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge

Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge

Sellingantiques Verified Since Nov 2021
Browse dealers 102 items
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Id #SA1229458
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Early 20thc Prismatic Compass by P. Orr, Madras

1900 - 1920
Description

Here we have an early 20th century brass and cast metal prismatic compass, P. Orr & Sons Ltd., Madras, serial no. 1083, silvered dial and in it's original fitted leather case.

c1910

Size: 135mm

Free UK postage and packaging is included in the price of this item, please contact us for a foreign shipping quote.

Date of Manufacture

Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge has dated this Antique Brass Prismatic Compass to the 1910s.

Independent Date Guide ID 09606206
Dealer's Item Date1910s
Sellingantiques Date1910s
Sellingantiques agingItem 100-130 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1910s:
Maker stamp on the underside: P. Orr & Sons Ltd, Madras.
Limited liability suffix in the maker's name: adopted in the early twentieth century.
Dark finish rubbed through to raw brass along rims: long practical field use.
Folding prism with red and green glass filters: specialised surveying equipment.
Hand-stitched leather transit case with period label: original fitted protection.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1229458
Dealers Internal Reference
8738
Dealers Notes

We are more than happy to ship items abroad and ask you to contact us prior to purchasing to obtain a quote which will include professional packaging of your item, we will endeavour to ship your item as economically as possible, within the UK items will be posted using the Royal Mail and carry a tracking number.

Description
Here we have an early 20th century brass and cast metal prismatic compass, P. Orr & Sons Ltd., Madras, serial no. 1083, silvered dial and in it's original fitted leather case.

c1910

Size: 135mm

“
Free UK postage and packaging is included in the price of this item, please contact us for a foreign shipping quote.
Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge
Date of Manufacture

Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge has dated this Antique Brass Prismatic Compass to the 1910s.

Independent Date Report ID 09606206
Dealer's Item Date1910s
Sellingantiques dating1910s
Sellingantiques agingItem 100-130 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1910s:
Maker stamp on the underside: P. Orr & Sons Ltd, Madras.
Limited liability suffix in the maker's name: adopted in the early twentieth century.
Dark finish rubbed through to raw brass along rims: long practical field use.
Folding prism with red and green glass filters: specialised surveying equipment.
Hand-stitched leather transit case with period label: original fitted protection.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1229458
Dealers Internal Ref
8738
Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge
Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge
Sellingantiques verified Since Nov 2021
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge Profile Page

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An early 20th-century blackened brass prismatic compass displayed open beside its original fitted brown leather carrying case.
1 / 5
Archive I An early 20th-century blackened brass prismatic compass displayed open beside its original fitted brown leather carrying case.

Early 20thc Prismatic Compass by P. Orr, Madras

Archive II An early 20th-century blackened brass prismatic compass displayed open beside its original fitted brown leather carrying case. View II
Archive III An early 20th-century blackened brass prismatic compass displayed open beside its original fitted brown leather carrying case. View III
Archive IV An early 20th-century blackened brass prismatic compass displayed open beside its original fitted brown leather carrying case. View IV
Archive V An early 20th-century blackened brass prismatic compass displayed open beside its original fitted brown leather carrying case. View V
Enlarged Archival View
Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge

Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge
Telephone 01422 843189 or 07917 652471
Location
26 Market Street
Hebden Bridge
West Yorkshire
HX7 6AA
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/terrierantiques
Verified Since Nov 2021
Items For Sale 102
Items Sold 665
Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge
Terrier Antiques at Hebden Bridge
Verified Since Nov 2021
View Dealer Info
Location: 26 Market Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 6AA, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/terrierantiques
Verified
Nov 2021
For Sale
102
Sold
665
An early 20th-century blackened brass prismatic compass displayed open beside its original fitted brown leather carrying case.
Early 20thC Prismatic Compass by P. Orr, Madras
Ref: SA1229458
An early 20th-century blackened brass prismatic compass displayed open beside its original fitted brown leather carrying case.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectScientific Instruments
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleEdwardian
  • MaterialBrass, Leather, Glass
  • ColourDark Brown
  • MotifsOptical prism attachment, Blackened brass casing, Hinged cover, Fitted leather case

This early 20th-century Edwardian scientific instrument originates from the P. Orr & Sons workshop in Madras. The piece pairs a blackened brass and cast metal casing with a fitted dark brown leather carrying case, glass, and brass hardware, presenting an aesthetic suited to a gentleman's library. Visible details include a hinged cover, an optical prism attachment, and a handwritten paper label adhered to the leather case. In a contemporary home, the compass and its case function as decorative items suitable for placement upon an office desk. The compass casing measures 135 mm in diameter, offering a compact display footprint. The piece shows signs of age through surface wear on the leather case and the paper label, alongside the patination of the metal components.

FAQs

A prismatic compass is a specialised hand-held navigational and surveying instrument equipped with a glass prism to allow simultaneous reading of magnetic bearings and sighting of distant landmarks, widely used by military surveyors and topographers during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

These precision tools were typically constructed from non-ferrous materials such as brass or gunmetal to prevent magnetic interference, featuring optical glass prisms, silvered or card dials, and protective fitted leather field cases.

Authentic period examples often display maker or retailer engravings on the dial or housing, crisp stamped degree markings, heavy brass construction, and natural age-related patination or wear on the accompanying leather case.

An antique prismatic compass serves as a sophisticated decorative object when placed alongside books, globes, or framed cartography on an office desk, mantelpiece, or bookshelf within a traditional or dark academia interior scheme.

Store the instrument in a dry environment with stable humidity to prevent mould growth on the leather and protect the glass optics, avoiding abrasive chemicals or harsh metal polishes that strip away original surface coatings and patination.
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