Soviet NKVD Compass

[Chuck In Oregon]

Here's an oddball item. I was strolling through a part of the Tbilisi flea market that I seldom visit because it is mostly cheap porcelain and old houseware items. I saw this box, looked inside and ... an NKVD-marked compass?

Who knew there was such a thing? I know they had their own air arm and navy, sure, but I never imagined that they might have their own special-issue NKVD-marked equipment like this. I mean, would it have been so hard to use an ordinary navy compass? I guess so.

This is a fairly small compass with an integral mount that must have fit over a support post so that it could be dismounted rather than left in the boat. I say boat because I imagine a small river or coastal patrol boat rather than a bigger vessel. Of course, that is my imagination speaking.

Anyone ever seen anything like this before?

[Chuck In Oregon]

... And two more pictures ...

[Guest Rick Research]

Makes sense-- state security always controlled borders, so this is a pre-1946 naval border guard item.

[Stogieman]

And a rather neat find Chuck. How unusual is that!?

[Chuck In Oregon]

It was a surprising find indeed. And just who determined that the NKVD needed their own special line of equipment?

"Oh. You wanted a compass that points north? Well, we'll make some special ones just for you."

It occurs to me that this may not have been an appropriate thread topic as it has nothing to do with orders, medals or decorations. Can I get your thoughts on that? If you think it is appropriate, I have another item that I'd like to share. If not, I'll refrain.

Chuck

[NavyFCO]

That's a neat, but really odd compass. I don't have a clue what kind of naval vessel would use that... Perhaps something small like a patrol craft.

I think the NKVD markings might be more of an ownership marking rather than a "specially made for..." marking. It would be easy to put on the NKVD markings at the factory, making it already on the compass when delivered to the fleet. This would prevent an NKVD compass from being "borrowed" by a sailor and ending up on another ship/boat. I'm guessing that the NKVD, being the border guards, bought their supplies out of a different "pot" of money and probably had better equipment than the run-of-the-mill naval vessels, thus making theft entirely possible.

Did you buy it?

Dave

[Chuck In Oregon]

Did you buy it?

Dave

* * * **

How can you even ask? Did I mention that I had nothing to do on most weekends except go to the flea market? I could never resist oddities, even heavy ones like this. Yes, I bought it and it's sitting on my desk as I write this. Someone called this "magpie behavior" and it's as good a description as any.

Even worse, I bought a pair of unissued rabbit-ear binoculars still in the case. When I got back to the hotel I thought "Now what am I going to do with these?" They're sitting here, too, but not on my desk. In fact, they're what I was referring to as "another item" when I asked if this might be an inappropriate thread topic.

Chuck