Compass Collection

Arms granted to the Carpenters Company of London, 6th Edward IV, 1466
KW278004 Arms granted to the Carpenters Company of London, 6th Edward IV, 1466, from The History of Freemasonry, volume II, published by Thomas C

Tools used in carpentry and joinery
Various tools used in carpentry and joinery, including a vice, saws, chisels, a plane, pliers, a compass and a hammer

Compass Drill, Training Ship Arethusa, Greenhithe, Kent
A group of boys aboard the Training Ship Arethusa receiving compass instruction. The ship received boys aged 13-16 from a variety of poor backgrounds, including the workhouse

Newmarket Race Course, 1940. Racing in Newmarket was first recorded in the time of James I. Charles II was known to attend races on Newmarket Heath with his brother, the future James II

VIRGINIA MAP, 1612. Captain John Smiths map of Virginia, 1612

Compass Point, Bude, Cornwall, England. Date between ca. 1890 and ca. 1900

Compass Rose
A compass rose

Map of Cyprus - The Island of Venus. circa 1930s

MANUSCRIPT ILLUMINATION. God as the great Architect of the Universe. Illumination from the 13th century French Bible

The North and East Ridings of Yorkshire, engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612)
XCF113465 The North and East Ridings of Yorkshire, engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) from John Speeds Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain, pub

Fuxi and Nuwa, found in the tombs of Astana Cemetery, Turfan (painted silk)
LSE3512892 Fuxi and Nuwa, found in the tombs of Astana Cemetery, Turfan (painted silk) by Chinese School (7th century); National Museum, Seoul

The Countie and Citie of Lyncolne, engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) from John
XCF113458 The Countie and Citie of Lyncolne, engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) from John Speeds Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain, pub

CRESQUES, Jafuda (1350-1410); CRESQUES, Abraham ( -1381). Catalan Atlas. 1375. Third and Fourth Leaves. Map of the world known in the 14th c. (Finisterre and the Mediterranean)

Feng-Shui Compass
FENG-SHUI Fong-choei compass used by Chinese geomancers to calculate the most propitious location of buildings etc

Italy, from an Atlas of the World in 33 Maps, Venice, 1st September 1553 (ink on vellum)
XOT330948 Italy, from an Atlas of the World in 33 Maps, Venice, 1st September 1553 (ink on vellum) by Agnese, Battista (1514-64); Museo Correr, Venice, Italy; Italian, out of copyright

Leicester, engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) from John Speeds Theatre
XJF113467 Leicester, engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) from John Speeds Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain, pub

Hartfordshire and the situation of Hartford, engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612)
XCF113460 Hartfordshire and the situation of Hartford, engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) from John Speeds Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain, pub

Masonic Sign, c. 1941. Creator: Edward F. Engel
Masonic Sign, c. 1941

Ms Fr 247 f. 3 The Creation, God Introducing Adam and Eve
BLY156223 Ms Fr 247 f.3 The Creation, God Introducing Adam and Eve, illustration from Antiquites Judaiques, c.1470 (vellum) by Fouquet, Jean (c.1420-80) and Studio; Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

Close-up of a Muslim using a Qibla compass to indicate the direction of Al Kaaba, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Christopher Columbus at La Rabida, 1872. By F. Adam
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506). Genoese navigator. Columbus at the Convent of La Rabida, 1872. Copy by F. Adam of the homonimous painting by Eduardo Cano de la Pena. Maritime Museum. Barcelona

Portolan chart, 1582. Map of the central part of the Mediterranean sea. Printed in Messina. Renaissance art. Miniature Painting

Seal of the United Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England, 1817, from The
KW277992 Seal of the United Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England, 1817, from The History of Freemasonry, volume II, published by Thomas C

Siege of Malta, detail from the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche, 1580-83
XIR259885 Siege of Malta, detail from the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche, 1580-83 (fresco) (see also 260199) by Italian School, (16th century); Vatican Museums and Galleries

Hydra constellations, 1829 C016 / 4412
Hydra constellations. 19th-century map of stars and constellations from the celestial atlas Sozviezdiia Predstavlennyia na XXX Tablitsakh (1829) by Kornelius Reissig

Carta marina (map of the sea). 1516. Facsimile
" Carta marina (map of the sea). 1516. Facsimile. Sea map described by Carlos Sainz in his work " The name of America". Engraving. SPAIN. Madrid. Americas Museum."

Atlas compass, 16th century
Atlas compass in a 1544 copy of the Agnese Atlas. Several copies of this atlas were produced between 1536 and 1564, in Venice, by the Italian mapmaker Battista Agnese

EXPL2A-00284
Early map of Hudsons Strait and Hudsons Bay, 1662, in Arctic Canada. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction

George Washington as a surveyor in Virginia, aged 21 (colour litho)
PNP257451 George Washington as a surveyor in Virginia, aged 21 (colour litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

A Hansen, first officer on the Knivsberg, 1898. Creator: Christian Wilhelm Allers
A Hansen, first officer on the Knivsberg, 1898. Portrait of a German crew member using compasses and parallel rulers to plot the course of the SS Knivsberg through the South China Sea

Wilhelm Roentgens X-ray photograph of his wifes hand, 1896. Artist: Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen
Wilhelm Roentgens X-ray photograph of his wifes hand, 1896. For his work on electromagnetic radiation and the discovery of X-rays, Roentgen (1845-1923) was awarded the 1901 Nobel prize for Physics

Antique map of holy land including Syria and Lebanon

China. Han Dynasty (206 aC-220 BC). Invention

Invention of the compass, Ancient China
Invention of the compass in Ancient China. These early compasses consisted of a magnetised needle floating in a bowl of water

Doncaster Race Course, 1940. Doncaster is one of the oldest established centres for horse racing in Britain, with records of regular race meetings going back to the 16th Century

Historical Map of Dutch Navigators Island of Bali Illustration
Very Rare, Beautifully Illustrated Antique Engraved Victorian Illustration of Historical Map of Dutch Navigators on the Island of Bali. Copyright has expired on this artwork. Digitally restored

A Map of the Union of South Africa, 1931 (colour litho)
1198400 A Map of the Union of South Africa, 1931 (colour litho) by Gill, Leslie MacDonald (Max) (1884-1947); 102x153 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Gill)

The Island of Crete, from a nautical atlas, 1651 (ink on vellum) (detail from 330925)
XOT330926 The Island of Crete, from a nautical atlas, 1651 (ink on vellum) (detail from 330925) by Pietro Giovanni Prunes (fl. 17th Century); Museo Correr, Venice, Italy; Italian, out of copyright

The French Coast, England, Scotland and Ireland, from a nautical atlas, 1520 (ink on vellum)
XOT330911 The French Coast, England, Scotland and Ireland, from a nautical atlas, 1520 (ink on vellum) (detail from 330910) by Giovanni Xenodocus da Corfu (fl)

Peru and the Amazon, detail from a world atlas, 1565 (vellum)
XJL208771 Peru and the Amazon, detail from a world atlas, 1565 (vellum) by Homem, Diego (16th century); The National Library of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia; Portuguese, out of copyright

Portrait of Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) from The Narrative and Critical History
BAL111015 Portrait of Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) from The Narrative and Critical History of America, edited by Justin Winsor, London, 1886 (engraving) by English School

SYMBOL: COMPASS. A compass, symbolizing the science of cartography. Line engraving

Navigation. Dividers and compass sitting on a map

Mathematical equipment
Mathematics equipment. Protractor (left), a pair of compasses and pencil (centre top), a pen (right) and an electronic calculator (lower centre)

Sea chart of the south coast of Cuba and Jamaica, Jan Luyken, Claes Jansz Voogt, Johannes van Keulen (I), 1684 - 1799

His Spectre Driv n... plate 6 from Jerusalem, 1804-20 (relief
XYC197603 His Spectre Driv n... plate 6 from Jerusalem, 1804-20 (relief etching printed in orange with pen & w/c on paper) by Blake, William (1757-1827); 22.2x16.2 cm; Yale Center for British Art

The School Room (colour litho)
8633251 The School Room (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The School Room)

Astronomical Diagrams (colour litho)
8658793 Astronomical Diagrams (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Astronomical Diagrams)

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The compass, a versatile tool used in carpentry and joinery, has a rich history that spans across various fields and cultures. From the Compass Drill on the Training Ship Arethusa in Greenhithe, Kent to Captain John Smith's intricate map of Virginia in 1612, this instrument has played a crucial role in shaping our understanding of the world. Intriguingly, even ancient manuscripts have depicted the compass as an emblem of divine creation. Manuscript illuminations from the 13th century French Bible showcase God as the great Architect of the Universe, holding a compass to symbolize his meticulous design. Moving forward through time, we find ourselves at Newmarket Race Course in 1940 where precision is key for determining accurate distances. The compass aids not only navigators but also cartographers like those who created maps such as "Map of Cyprus - The Island of Venus" or "The North and East Ridings of Yorkshire" engraved by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612). These maps provide invaluable insights into geographical features and historical contexts. Beyond geography lies Feng-Shui; an ancient Chinese practice that utilizes a specialized compass to harmonize energies within spaces. This Feng-Shui Compass guides practitioners towards optimal arrangements for balance and prosperity. Even artistic endeavors have been influenced by this remarkable tool. An Atlas of the World from Venice in 1553 showcases Italy with intricate details meticulously drawn using ink on vellum – all made possible with precise measurements provided by none other than the trusty compass. Whether it be aiding sailors at sea or guiding architects' hands, whether it be unlocking hidden energies or creating stunning works of art – throughout history and across continents –the humble yet powerful compass continues to play an indispensable role in shaping our world both physically and metaphorically.