BY WILFRID O. WHITE, Ca 1935
 

PRESENTED is a large size skylight or cathedral binnacle with an original Spherical Compass that was invented by Wilfrid O. White. The design dates to January 6, 1931 with Patent number 1987383 granted on January 8, 1935. This is not one of the later versions, but an original, and sold under the Kelvin-White brand name indicating the association White had with William Thomson, Lord Kelvin. The main feature of this compass was that the sphere magnified the size of the compass card substanially. In this case, when the bowl is filled with fluid, the actual compass card is 3 1/2" in diameter, but appears to be a 5 1/2" card when viewed. The base of the compass bowl is fitted with a frosted lens which allows lighting the card from beneath, but no internal light was fitted. A hard to find night shade is included.

It is in the preferred brass finish with six panels one of which acts as a filter. Two of the panels have an etched vertical line to allow for taking bearings, and the black filter is used when taking amplitudes of the sun to determine compass error or as sun shade.

Binnacles such as these became very popular starting in the 1920's. Their popularity may have increased after one was seen aboard the motor vessel "Santana" in the movie "Key Largo" (1948) staring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Bogie also had one in the cockpit of his famous yawl Santana. Here it is shown covered with a chrome hood. And for those interested, we installed one on our ketch Bagheera which served us well during seven years of ocean cruising. PERKO discontinued making them about 1954, and Ritchie did the same. Thereafter, the only source of skylight binnacles was from Danforth priced at $3400.00, until they discontinued all compass production in December, 2009. In May, 2011 Ritchie Navigation introduced a new skylight binnacle under the Heritage Brand. It was priced at $3600.00 in chrome.

CONDITION: After all these years, the condition is exceptional, and everything is almost in "like new" condition with the compass working properly. There are four lubber pins one at each primary heading of 90 degrees, one of which is broken off at the level of the card. As fitted by Kelvin-White, the panes are Plexiglas, but are in great condition. The compass was recently cleaned and its paint freshened in our shop, and the binnacle was professionally polished and lacquered for your enjoyment. The compass is being sold for display. Its fluid has been removed to preserve the card, and it is not intended to be used at sea in this condition. It can be made sea ready by simply adding a mixture of 1/3 alcohol and 2/3 distilled water. There was no lighting fitted by the maker. However, an electrician can fit a receptacle for lighting from the bottom or one can be installed from the top.

DIMENSIONS:

Overall 14 1/2"H x 10 1/2" D including flange Deduct 2" for the wood base

WEIGHT 12 pounds with wood base

Actual Diameter of compass card 3 1/2" Apparent Diameter of compass card 5 1/2"

Diameter of sphere 5 1/4" Overall diameter bezel 5 3/4" OA Diameter case 9 1/2"

 

The hood or shade maintains night vision

Looking down from above

PROVENANCE & BRIEF HISTORY: Wilfred O. White had a rich nautical family history, descending from a shipbuilding family that dated back to 1600 England. Born in Melbourne Australia, White came to the United States in 1898 and married Ruth Eldridge, the daughter of George Eldridge, who charted the first tide and current tables in U.S.

White had studied with the Scottish Lord Kelvin of compass fame for a year or more in Glasgow in the very early 1900's. Kelvin's work on magnetic compasses goes back to 1870, and the result was quickly adopted by the world's navies. After Kelvin's death in 1907, White was chosen to be Kelvin's exclusive agent in the United States by Kelvin's successors and partners, Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird. The Kelvin & Wilfrid O. White and Co. commenced operations in 1918. White, reportedly, had to pay LIST price, in advance with his orders. This became a thorn in Wilfred's side, and it ultimately lead him to develop his own design improvements which were marketed under the Kelvin - Wilfrid O. White brand. He invented the spherical compass in 1931 and received his US Patent in 1935. His son Wilfrid Gordon later improved upon it's design in the 1950's.

The Wilfrid White company sold out to the Eastern Company in 1961 which consolidated it operations with Danforth's Marine Hardware, first in Naugatuck, CT and then moved the Danforth- White Division to Portland, ME in 1961. Compasses continued to be produced under the Danforth - White label. In the 1970's Danforth dropped the Danforth - White brand and marketed their compasses as Danforth. In 2009, Danforth ceased compass production entirely.

This example dates all the way back to the introduction of the spherical compass and should be highly prized if used afloat or ashore.

FLAT RATE SHIPPING to 48 contiguous States $40.00

OUR UNCONDITIONAL NO NONSENSE GUARANTEE: If not completely satisfied with your purchase it may be returned within five days of receipt in its original packaging if without damage. Return items must be insured for their full value. Only a prior email authorization from us for the return is required. Shipping charges are included in this offer if an error is due to our fault.

International buyers welcome, but inquire first. We have satisfied customers in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Estonia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Nova Scotia, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, St. Maarten, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, USVI and the Eastern Caribbean.

STANDARD FORMS OF PAYMENT are Bank wire transfer, cashier's check, money order, or personal check in which case the item will be held until cleared. Our prices are quoted net to us so that the use of credit cards or PayPal incur extra charges. Terms on overseas sales are different. 

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