Sestrel Boxed Marine Compass

Sestrel Boxed Compass: A post WWII boxed gimbaled compass made by the British compass maker SESTREL. The 5 1/4 inch liquid-filled compass features a brass housing and gimbal ring and survives in good working order. Housed in a mahogany machine-dovetailed box with lid measuring 7 1/2 X 7 1/2 X 5 1/4 inches tall.

CONDITION: The compass is in perfect working order. The box is missing the brass clasp hooks and the lid has a slight warping to it.

Sestrel is the Trade Mark brand of Henry Browne & Son who were important British compass makers. This company was sold to John Lilley & Gillie Ltd* and SIRS Navigation (both in UK) in 1993. HENRY BROWNE & SON, Ltd was established in (18..?) in Barking and London. They were English instrument makers that had been making compasses, ships clocks, inclinometers, sextants and chandlery items for over 140 years. Their “Dead Beat“ compass design is well dampened and serves to reduce oscillations. It is reported that this design compass was fitted to many Allied ships during WWII. Over the more recent years, there has been a consolidation of British instrument makers and the firm of Henry Browne & Son has changed hands a number of times. At last count, it became part of Lilley & Gillie for what may be the second time.