Can anyone tell me What this is

[weephee]

This item is solid brass and looks to be a piece from the 50's or 60's maybe. Not sure. The top is 4 1/4 inches in diameter. The height is 3 5/8 inches and the little window is 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Elliot Eros is stamped on a disc in the window. It has a north point and the needle points north but no East, West or South stamped on the plate. I assume it is a compass but what kind and how do you get into it.

[rbrasi]

Check this thread out. They seem to know from old nautical gear.
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-m...-recently.html

[capttb]

It's not a compass? doesn't the round lid open and the sight flip up so you can take a bearing?

[HDChopper]

What ever it is it is Very cool

as for opening ...the round hinge is the hinge ..the square one is the (toung & groove) is the latch , IMO as a machine man ....
I imagine the latch is spring & ball or spring pin type..

[erps]

Old army compasses had the lid open up and then a sight fold up as well to take bearings. Looks like a fold up sight visible through the glass.

[hellosailor]

Look up "lensatic compass" or "army compass" this looks to be the same thing but much nicely made from brass. The cover with the glass would flip up on the hinge, the brass tongue you see under it should also flip up. Then you sight through the end of the "tongue" and the glass, which should have a prismatic effect allowing you to see the compass reading (bearing) directly under the image of what you are looking at.

If the hinge is frozen try a little PBlaster on it to get it started again.

A modern pot metal lensatic compass is usually a $5-10 item on the shelf at any camping store.

[cyber8r]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Look up "lensatic compass" or "army compass" this looks to be the same thing but much nicely made from brass. The cover with the glass would flip up on the hinge, the brass tongue you see under it should also flip up. Then you sight through the end of the "tongue" and the glass, which should have a prismatic effect allowing you to see the compass reading (bearing) directly under the image of what you are looking at.

If the hinge is frozen try a little PBlaster on it to get it started again.

A modern pot metal lensatic compass is usually a $5-10 item on the shelf at any camping store.

Very cool I'll bet you get a lot more than that on E Bay

[CaptainForce]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

............ "lensatic compass" or "army compass" this looks to be the same thing but................

......as a nautical instrument, known as a "Pelorus". Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[PaulfromNWOnt]

Top picture: Bottom right appears to have a little nubbin (technical term meaning thingy) that you'd pull out to release the top cover to swing away from you like a laptop screen.

Third picture: That hinge is for the "sight" to pivot up on.

The reason you can't see the W, S, E marks is because they are on a fixed plate that swings with the device, and there is a needle/arrow that indicates the direction being sighted.

They used similar devices in fire towers.

[hellosailor]

Force, if his gizmo has no magnetic needle or card in it, it could be a pelorus. But if there is a "north seeking" needle or card, it is a compass. A pelorus is just a bearing finder, it has no magnetic abilities.