deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) Hi Gents, I have been away from collecting a while as work and family commitments have taken over, but a belated Happy New Year to all here. I picked up this item at a local auction last week. It came from a house clearance, and according to the auctioneer's description is a compass taken from a WW2 Japanese torpedo boat, but I take pronouncements like that with a big pinch of salt It is definitely a compass, with Japanese-looking markings, and a wooden box similar to military instruments of other countries in WW2. Beyond that I haven't a clue. Both the box and the instrument are marked. The compass sits on springs, has some sort of screw adjustment on top and bottom, and lugs for securing it to something stationary. There is some sort of cylinder at the front which is empty. The box also contains a toolkit and some mysterious glass capsules. Could anyone here please help confirm whether this is Japanese, naval and/or WW2, and help with translating the markings? It does seem to be a rare item as I couldn't find anything similar on from google searches. Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers Gilbert PS - apologies for the poor photography, it's a dark art to me! Edited January 12, 2008 by deptfordboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 Here is the front of the box with marked plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 A close up of the markings on the box plate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 Shot of the box with contents in situ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 Here's the front view of compass - note the cylinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 Here's a side view showing the plate with markings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 closeup of the compass plate markings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 And finally, the tool kit with mysterious capsules - do they have something to do with the cylinder gizmo I wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 All I can read are dates. The bottom of the case where our numbers 14 and 3 are stamped says "14 year 3 month" which indeed places that in Hirohito's "Showa" reign. Can't tell if the actual device bears the same numbers (scan small and dark). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deptfordboy Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 Thanks, that's helpful. So, he began his reign 1926, if you add the 14 then you get to 1941, making it just pre-WW2 (from Japan's point of view)?Whilst not trying to excuse my snaps, the numbers are difficult to read to the eye, but on the insrtument I think they are 15 and 5 . Cheers G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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