WWI British Military Prismtic Compass by Steward with Leather Case.

This is a WWI military brass and black laquered liquid prismatic compass with mother of pearl dial. This instrument consists of a magnetized graduated dial card with a centrally inserted ruby stone all of which are mounted on a sharp pivot at the center of the case so as to permit the card to rotate freely in the horizontal plane. The lid when opened is used as the front sight. Sighting through the prism allows viewing the compass card, and the object being sighted simultaneously. The makers name is J.H. Steward, London. It is marked on the hinge: ' The Steward patent liquid prismatic compass'. And on the lid JH Steward London. James Henry Steward started his business in 1856 in London. He had shops in 406 and 66 Strand and 54 Cornhill in London. The bottom of the compass is hand marked JCR. The original leather case is also hand marked JCR 266 Brigade RFA (the Welsh Howitzer Brigade - Royal Field Artillery).