Compass in binnacle

George Stebbing, 1819

The ship’s compass was used to determine the course of a vessel and was thus the most important instrument on board. At night it could be safely kept in this binnacle (in Dutch nachthuis or ‘night house’). A small built-in lamp made it possible to read the compass in the dark.

  • Artwork typecompass
  • Object numberNG-MC-878
  • Dimensionscompass card: diameter 23.2 cm, compass card box: height 4.5 cm x width 25.6 cm x depth 25.6 cm, binnacle: height 83.5 cm x width 44.5 cm x depth 41.8 cm
  • Physical characteristicswood, brass, copper, iron, lead, glass, ruby, mica and paper

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