Early 20th Century Dry Watch Compass

This instrument consists of a magnetized graduated dial card with a centrally inserted ruby stone. The card is mounted on a sharp pivot at the center of the case so as to permit the card to rotate freely in the horizontal plane. When the lid is closed, a small lever raises the needle from the pivot and fixes its movement.The blued steel, watch like case, is 1¾ inch in diameter. It is opened by depressing a small button underneath the chain ring. The compass is marked 'James A Sinclair & Co. Ltd 54 Haymarket SW.' and 'Rec. No. 355369' James A sinclair had a shop on Haymarket for a very long time. He was maily interested in cameras and photography, though his shop retailed many different instruments. In 1909 he set up a new partnership with Arthur Samuel Newman to form Newman & Sinclair Ltd, and opened a workshop to manufacture film equipment. Famous cameras that came from the Sinclair shop include the Una and the Sybil