Page 29 - joa-may-23

ANTIQUES PEEK by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK

You CAN Get There From Here!

o you need a little direction in your shui is the practice of trying to stay naturally north changes
life? Well, if you are ever lost in the balanced within a home or other space by a bit based on
Dwoods, an ancient device will have arranging furniture and other items in a environmental
you covered! Compasses are well-known specific way. Compasses helped practitioners factors and
navigation tools. In today’s era of modern make sure certain furniture pieces faced other issues.
technology, people tend specific directions. Think of it
to use cellular phones to more like
find their way. However, Wet Versus Dry Compasses “north-ish.”
many true outdoor Another important advancement in the A huge
enthusiasts still want development of compasses also came from change in how
“real” compasses for prac- China around the 7th century. At that time, compasses This small nautical compass
tical purposes, especially compasses that could float on the water were were made from the early 1900s mounted on
when they are in areas invented. Magnetized compasses suspended came about in a universal joint and placed
where the phone signals from strings were also popular. The wet and Europe in the in its original wooden box
are spotty. Many people dry compasses made navigation possible in 1400s when recently sold at 1stdibs.com for
collect compasses because almost any environment or situation, yet people began about $1,300.
This Victorian pocket they are such interesting continued to each have advantages and to realize true north and magnetic north were
compass has the
design characteristics instruments. Let’s take a disadvantages for centuries until Tuomas different. At that point, meridional compasses
of a pocket watch peek at the long, rich Vohlonen of Finland invented the portable were born. They were British compasses that
made in the era history of compass devel- liquid-filled compass that was reliable. Up were essentially calibrated to point north
opment and use. until that point, all other liquid compasses when ships passed a particular area of the city
tended to leak or have other problems, while of Cornwall.
What is a Compass? dry compasses were too easily thrown off by
A compass is a navigation tool that displays any slight movement. Compass Dial Changes
the direction of travel for the user relative to If you want to collect early compasses, you
magnetic north. Because the Earth’s poles are need to familiarize yourself with certain dial
magnetic, compasses typically use magnetized changes. For example, the earliest European
needles. The compass was designed to point compasses only had south and north marked
to magnetic north located near Earth’s North on them. Eventually, the compass “rose” was
Pole. Once magnetic north is identified, the developed. The compass rose had 32 direc-
user can easily determine which way is east, tional points on it. They were used for direc-
south, or west. Modern compasses are vital tional tracking, but they also assisted with
navigation tools for travelers, hikers, and weather tracking. In fact, they typically
campers. They are also used in various indus- depicted various winds.
tries, such as boating and airline travel. Another change that developed over time
was the affixing of the compass needle to a
Non-Navigation Uses for Early This brass compass dates back to World War II. pin. This allowed the needle to spin freely
Chinese Compasses The rose has 36 points on the outer rim around atop the pin.
Although widely known today for their with hundreds of other marks on the
navigational uses, compasses were not always inner parts of the dial. Collecting Compasses
used solely for navigation. They are believed Compasses have existed since ancient
to have originated in China between 300 and Compasses Outside of China times, and they are still made today. As a col-
200 BC, which was in the Han Dynasty era. Since the magnetic stone used to make lector, that leaves you with a vast array of
At that time, compasses were thought to be early compasses originated in China, it may options. You can focus on an era, type (dry,
magical primarily due to their constant ability come as no surprise that China seemingly had wet, etc.), or country of manufacture, for
to move seemingly a monopoly on those early compasses. Some example. You may also opt to collect unusual
on their own to were used outside the country, especially by compasses that tickle your fancy. For example,
point north. mariners. However, they did not start to some compasses included sundials, some had
Early compasses become popularized across Europe until the intricate carry cases, and others were attached
were also house- 1300s. European sailors relied upon star to chains like pocket watches. They were also
hold tools in navigation until that point. Eventually, the built from a variety of materials, colors, and
China. They were use of compasses for water navigation became sizes. Some even feature unique decorations,
used to assist with common worldwide. Since then, the compass such as sea creatures.
the ancient art of has likewise helped people in many different It is up to you to locate compasses that
feng shui. Feng fields and endeavors, ranging from aviation to catch your eye. You may even want to
land surveying.
An antique loupan feng shui compass of wood, with extend your collection to items depicting
10 annotated rings with both black and red writing. Magnetic North Versus True North compass markings, such as maps and other
The base plate is the earth dial, while the circular navigation tools.
plate is the heaven dial. The loupan has been in use There are two terms used in compass 1950s
for over 2000 years to determine the most auspicious navigation that can be confusing to those who Panerai
placement of buildings or objects within buildings. do not use compasses regularly: “magnetic compass
Based on the shrinkage of wood out of round, we esti- north” and “true north.” True north is the selling for
mate this piece to be well over 100 years old, placing it direction in which the North Pole is located – $8,000
in the Qing dynasty. Listed on rubylane.com for $400. a specific point on the planet. Magnetic online

May 202 3 27