Skip to main content

Compass In A Box

Brass Ship's Compass Converted to Side Table, Designer Deborah Lockhart Phillips
Brass Ship's Compass Converted to Side Table, Designer Deborah Lockhart Phillips

Brass Ship's Compass Converted to Side Table, Designer Deborah Lockhart Phillips

Located in Nantucket, MA

These compasses usually exist in a box on a lifeboat. We had them polished and then created a design so that the compass still gimbals.

Category

Mid-20th Century English Industrial Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Recent Sales

Antique J.C. Ulmer Co. Survey Transit & Compass in Bergen & Sons Box
Antique J.C. Ulmer Co. Survey Transit & Compass in Bergen & Sons Box

Antique J.C. Ulmer Co. Survey Transit & Compass in Bergen & Sons Box

Located in Milan, OH

Ulmer & Co. Transit and Compass, beautifully encased in an authentic Bergen & Sons box.

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Brass Boat Compass in a Box, 19th Century
Brass Boat Compass in a Box, 19th Century

Brass Boat Compass in a Box, 19th Century

Located in Norwell, MA

The compass is fitted to an 8 sided varnished mahogany binnacle box with slanted lid and brass hinge.

Category

Vintage 1980s North American Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Brass Boat Compass in a Box 19th Century
Brass Boat Compass in a Box 19th Century

Brass Boat Compass in a Box 19th Century

Located in Norwell, MA

The compass is fitted to an 8 sided varnished mahogany binnacle box with slanted lid and brass hinge.

Category

Antique 1890s North American Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Nautical Ship Wooden Box Compass
Nautical Ship Wooden Box Compass

Nautical Ship Wooden Box Compass

Sold

H 11.38 in W 11.78 in D 11.38 in

Nautical Ship Wooden Box Compass

Located in Guaynabo, PR

This is a nautical ship compass enclosed in a square wooden box. Inside the box there is kind of a "nest" round space to avoid that the compass moves.

Category

20th Century Unknown Industrial Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box
Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box

Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box

Located in Norwell, MA

Solid brass gimbaled boat compass that has been meticulously polished and lacquered, and fitted to a varnished mahogany box with a sliding lid.

Category

Vintage 1940s Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box
Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box

Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box

Located in Norwell, MA

Solid brass gimbaled boat compass that has been meticulously polished and lacquered, and fitted to a varnished mahogany box with a lid.

Category

Vintage 1940s North American Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Antique Sand Cast Compass
Antique Sand Cast Compass

Antique Sand Cast Compass

Sold

H 5.5 in W 7.34 in D 9.5 in

Antique Sand Cast Compass

Located in Sag Harbor, NY

Working Compass, solid brass in a solid oak box. Great piece of nautical history.

Category

Early 20th Century Nautical Objects

Ship's Lifeboat Brass Compass on Custom Stand
Ship's Lifeboat Brass Compass on Custom Stand

Ship's Lifeboat Brass Compass on Custom Stand

Located in Nantucket, MA

These brass lifeboat compasses are often held in a closed box. I had this polished and designed a custom brass gimbal stand.

Category

Mid-20th Century Industrial Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Brass Ship's Cassens & Plath Compass, Converted to Side Table, English, 1970s
Brass Ship's Cassens & Plath Compass, Converted to Side Table, English, 1970s

Brass Ship's Cassens & Plath Compass, Converted to Side Table, English, 1970s

Located in Nantucket, MA

These compasses usually exist in a box on a lifeboat. We had them polished and then created a design so that the compass still gimbals.

Category

Mid-20th Century English Industrial Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Solid Brass Boat Compass in a Wood Box
Solid Brass Boat Compass in a Wood Box

Solid Brass Boat Compass in a Wood Box

Sold

H 3.5 in W 4.5 in D 4.5 in

Solid Brass Boat Compass in a Wood Box

Located in Norwell, MA

Highly polished gimbaled brass compass in dovetailed wood box. Weight is 2 pounds.

Category

Vintage 1930s Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box
Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box

Boat Compass on Gimbal in a Mahogany Box

Located in Norwell, MA

Solid brass gimbaled boat compass that has been meticulously polished and lacquered, and fitted to a varnished mahogany box with a lid.

Category

Vintage 1930s North American Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Compass by Stanley London Natural Sine Solid Brass in Teak Box, Circa 1940
Compass by Stanley London Natural Sine Solid Brass in Teak Box, Circa 1940

Compass by Stanley London Natural Sine Solid Brass in Teak Box, Circa 1940

By Stanley & Co., London 1

Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire

This is a vintage, solid brass, Stanley, Natural Sine compass in a teak wood box. It is engraved to the top; Natural Sine Stanley London.

Category

20th Century English Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Early 19th Century Watercolor of a Sailor Boy Holding a Compass
Early 19th Century Watercolor of a Sailor Boy Holding a Compass

Early 19th Century Watercolor of a Sailor Boy Holding a Compass

Located in Nantucket, MA

The blond curly haired and blue eyed lad wears a rich blue midshipman's suit, holding a boxed compass in one hand and a coiled line over one shoulder.

Category

Antique Early 19th Century American Folk Art Paintings

Materials

Paper

Mid-Century Brass Ship's Compass on Stand
Mid-Century Brass Ship's Compass on Stand

Mid-Century Brass Ship's Compass on Stand

Located in Nantucket, MA

This is a brass ship's compass that usually sits in a box on the bridge of a ship.

Category

20th Century Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Brass Ship's Compass, Converted to Side Table, English, 1970s
Brass Ship's Compass, Converted to Side Table, English, 1970s

Brass Ship's Compass, Converted to Side Table, English, 1970s

Located in Nantucket, MA

These compasses usually exist in a box on a lifeboat. We had them polished and then created a design so that the compass still gimbals.

Category

Mid-20th Century English Industrial Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Gimbled Ship's Brass Compass on Custom Stand, Mid-century
Gimbled Ship's Brass Compass on Custom Stand, Mid-century

Gimbled Ship's Brass Compass on Custom Stand, Mid-century

Located in Nantucket, MA

This is a brass ship's compass that usually sits in a box on the bridge of a ship.

Category

Mid-20th Century Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

Brass Ship's Compass Converted to Side Table, Designer Deborah Lockhart Phillips
Brass Ship's Compass Converted to Side Table, Designer Deborah Lockhart Phillips

Brass Ship's Compass Converted to Side Table, Designer Deborah Lockhart Phillips

Located in Nantucket, MA

These compasses usually exist in a box on a lifeboat. We had them polished and then created a design so that the compass still gimbals.

Category

Mid-20th Century English Industrial Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass

A 19th Century Scottish Dory Compass
A 19th Century Scottish Dory Compass

A 19th Century Scottish Dory Compass

Located in New York, NY

A 19th century Scottish Dory Compass in a lidded burl wood box, the dial marked Rich'd Millar Leith.

Category

Antique 19th Century Scottish Nautical Objects

Materials

Wood, Glass

Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Compass In A Box", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Compass In A Box For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic compass in a box available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of metal, brass and wood, every compass in a box was constructed with great care. There are many kinds of the compass in a box you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 19th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. Many designers have produced at least one well-made compass in a box over the years, but those crafted by Chollet - Delamarre Paris, S. Thaxter & Son and Stoppani are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a Compass In A Box?

A compass in a box can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $736, while the lowest priced sells for $399 and the highest can go for as much as $2,453.

Finding the Right Collectibles-curiosities for You

Antique and vintage collectibles and curiosities can bring whimsy and wonder to any interior. 

Decorating with old scientific instruments, historical memorabilia and vintage musical instruments, as well as other authentic collectibles and curiosities that can be found on 1stDibs, presents an opportunity to create a unique, natural history museum-like atmosphere in your home that can provoke conversation as often as it pays tribute to how far we’ve come in understanding our world. 

And bringing collectibles and curiosities into your space is actually on trend — Wunderkammern, or curiosity cabinets, were all the rage in Europe during the 1500s and continued to have adherents there and in the U.S. in the following centuries. Today, however, they’re experiencing a real surge in popularity and influencing how many interior designers are furnishing and decorating homes — combining contemporary with antique, scientific with tribal, earthly with extraterrestrial, Les Lalanne tables with Flemish tapestries.

The original Wunderkammern were entire rooms filled with objects demonstrating their owners’ worldly knowledge: A proper one included artificiala or preciosa (objets d’art); naturalia (such as skeletons, shells, minerals); exotica (taxidermy or dried plants); and scientifica (scientific instruments), frequently alongside religious relics and ancient artifacts.

Pay tribute to a history of rich and diverse musical traditions that have taken shape all over the world by decorating your home with a collection of antique and vintage musical instruments — with a little help from strong hanging wire or some wall hooks, vintage brass instruments such as a gong, French horn or trumpet can help elevate a home office or complement the efforts you’ve made to ensure a welcoming vibe in your home’s entryway. Bells or antique wind instruments can add provocative metallic contrasts to dark woods as tabletop decorative objects.  

Create an intriguing focal point with Georgian scientific instruments, such as stick barometers with mahogany cases or lacquered brass telescopes. These items stem from an era named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who ruled England in succession starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign, which lasted until 1837). Just as there was beautiful jewelry produced during the period that today is coveted by collectors, there is much to be found in the collectibles and curiosities realm too.

Wanderlust, nostalgia and a shared love of good design are contributing factors to certain trends in decorating — just as vintage trunks and luggage have reappeared as furniture or home accents in a bedroom or foyer, decorating with globes, maps or nautical objects is similarly rooted in the allure of travel and a penchant for the stylish finishing touch that collectibles bring to our homes.

Find a wide range of antique and vintage collectibles and curiosities on 1stDibs.

Questions About Compass In A Box

  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2021
    A pocket compass consists of a magnetic needle encased in a nonmagnetic case that allows the needle to freely swing over a graded face or dial. A pocket compass is a timeless instrument — it can be used for research or navigation in remote areas as well as in dark and foggy conditions. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage pocket compasses.
  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2021
    A nautical compass is a compass made up of parallel or bundled needles that are permanently connected to the card and used to display directions (north, east, south, and west) as well as their immediate points. Compared to an electronic device equipped with GPS, a compass is inexpensive, has a low risk of malfunctioning and is a lightweight instrument. Compasses were once indispensable for sailors navigating the high seas. Find a collection of antique and vintage nautical compasses on 1stDibs today.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A pocket compass is used for navigation. The magnetic needle turns until one end points north and the other points south. You can use this information to orient yourself and choose which direction to travel. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of antique and vintage pocket compasses.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A marine compass is a kind of magnetic compass commonly found on boats. These have been used for centuries by seafarers, and antique examples command enthusiasm from collectors. On 1stDibs, you’ll find antique and contemporary compasses from some of the world’s top sellers.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Antique compasses work with the use of magnets. Compasses use a magnetized needle that can rotate to line up with the Earth’s magnetic field, pointing towards the magnetic north. The basic concept of how compasses work has not changed over several centuries and magnetic compasses continue to work well today. Shop a variety of antique compasses on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    To use a compass while on the ocean, hold the compass in front of you. One end of the needle will point toward north, and the other will face south. Determine where you are by examining the markings on the dial. You can then use a deviation card to chart your course. On 1stDibs, find a selection of compasses.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A sea compass is known as a gyroscopic compass or gyrocompass. A gyroscopic compass is favored for ships because it’s a non-magnetic compass based on the rotation of the earth to dictate direction, unaffected by the ship’s steel hull. Shop a collection of vintage compasses on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A binnacle is the housing space for a ship’s compass. It’s designed to counter the magnetic deviation that might be caused by the fact that a ship is made of iron. To be effective, binnacles needed to be made of non-ferrous materials, meaning they could not contain any iron. Find a collection of vintage and modern binnacles on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 17, 2021
    A vinaigrette box is a small metal container (usually silver) with a perforated top. People typically keep strong-smelling substances like vinegar in vinaigrette boxes. They were popular in the 18th century.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 5, 2021
    A drawing box is set which has a collection of various instruments required for drawing purposes. It comes in various sizes based on the number of instruments packed. On 1stDibs, you can find a variety of drawing boxes ranging from the 1930s to 20th century.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Cloisonné is an ancient metalworking technique that creates a decorative design with enamels by the use of wire and metal strips. A Cloisonné box would be decorated in this process and used to store items like jewelry or other trinkets. Shop a collection of Cloisonné boxes from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    A coffer box is a wooden box that is covered in leather, studded nails, and has carrying handles on the side. It was used in the Middle ages to carry clothes, valuables, and other goods. Find a collection of antique and vintage wooden furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 26, 2021
    A pantry box was used commonly in the 19th century to store dry items like sugar, cereals, and spices in the pantry. It is now primarily utilized as a decorative object. It was quite popular since it had handles and could be used to transport products to and from the market. Shop a collection of antique, vintage, and contemporary pantry boxes from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 17, 2023
    A needlework box, or sewing box, is a storage box that has bins and compartments designed specifically for holding needles, threads and other accessories for sewing and needlepoint. Many manufacturers produce them out of wood, but some are fabric or plastic. Shop a selection of sewing boxes on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A Battersea box is part of the wider umbrella of Battersea enamelware, a kind of painted enamelware produced in England in the mid-18th century. Considered to be of incredibly high quality, pristine examples of this enamelware are highly sought after by collectors. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of expertly-vetted Battersea enamelware from some of the world’s top sellers.
  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2021
    A filigree box likely refers to a jewelry box that features a decoratively embellished exterior owing to intricate metalwork called filigree. This type of metalwork sees threaded metal and beads woven together or separately to form elaborate patterns and motifs. Find a collection of antique and vintage filigree boxes on 1stDibs today.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021
    A butterfly box is a nesting box built for butterflies to have shelter during nasty weather. These boxes are usually made of wood and have multiple vertical openings for butterflies to enter. These boxes will not only add up the beauty of your garden but also will help the population of butterflies to sustain. Shop a range of butterfly boxes from top sellers and makers around the world on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Vanity boxes are small ornately decorated boxes used to hold a woman's grooming essentials, such as a powder puff and a mirror. Although initially designed for travel, they are usually placed on a vanity table or dresser in modern homes. Find a selection of antique and vintage vanity boxes on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    An apothecary box is a type of small cupboard or trunk formerly used by pharmacists and physicians to store medicines and tools in the many small compartments and drawers. Today, apothecary boxes are popular in homes as antique or rustic-looking decorative objects. Shop a range of antique and vintage apothecary cabinets on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 26, 2021
    A bentwood box is a traditionally crafted style of a box from a single piece of wood that has been steamed and bent to form a box. Three of its four corners are bent at a 90-degree angle, with the fourth corner pinned, stitched, or glued in place. Shop a collection of vintage and contemporary bentwood boxes from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.

Read More