This Sawyer & Hobby plain compass comes with its original fitted case, face cover and staff attachment. The thumb screws for the site vanes are matching replacements although the instrument still retains one original thumb screw. The instrument is also lacking the thumb screw for the needle damper. The case label bears the 156 Water Street address which dates the instrument between 1839 and 1853.

The compass measures 15 ¼” long and 6” wide with 6 ¼” sight vanes and a 4 ¾” needle. It has a silvered face with a grape and grape leaf motif and is signed Sawyer & Hobby New York.

There are very few examples of compasses made by Sawyer & Hobby. I have only seen five others over the years and none of them were the same.

Horace Sawyer (1811-1889) formerly of E & G. W. Blunt joined Jonathan Hobby (1813-1883) in 1839 to operate a mathematical and nautical instrument company in New York City. They operated from 1840-1853 at 156 Water Street according to the local directories.