can you ID this old military compass with leather pouch?

[Comanche Todd]

I picked up this old liquid filled compass over 10 years ago, it came with a brown leather pouch with brass hanger that fits a GI web belt, the compass is marked:

Lensatic Compass US No. 12557 it's 2 1/8" diameter and about 1 3/4" thick
with grey paint finnish, there is also a liquid filled level inside, and a chart on the bottom, is this some type of engineer's compass or possibly used by US navy or Merchant Marine? seems to be a very high quality piece

anybody know what era this compass is from? could it be WW1 era?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[nhbenz]

I'd say your're correct, it looks like a WWI compass... the type used by the Corps of Engineers. Here's one that sold on eBay (not that I'm deriving at my answer due to what they say): you may have to be logged in to ebay to veiw it. http://cgi.ebay.com/WWI-US-Army-Com...4QQihZ006QQcategoryZ13974QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Montana Jim]

No idea... but thats a nice compass!

Looks like museum quality, with case and sticker on the bottom... nice.

 

[Leon]

Sorry, no info, but that is an awesome looking compass...
I have a few compasses made similar, one older model, and a newer version, but nothing that nice...
Is that a sticker on the bottom?, or some type of "Code" reader?
Good luck, & Happy hunting~

 

[PBK]

Try this guy:

http://www.kitefarm.com/oregontrailmercantile/id89.htm

http://www.kitefarm.com/compass_museum.htm

 

[snake35]

Thats a neat old military compass. Great find!

 

[Comanche Todd]

I think it's an early US army Engineer's compass circa 1917 era for map reading and possibly used for setting up artillery

the paper chart on the bottom is some type of conversion scale?

I dont think it's a marching compass, it has too many extra features, more like an Engineer's compass.

 

[Montana Jim]

I dont think it's a marching compass, it has too many extra features, more like an Engineer's compass.

I dont know for sure, but I do agree... that makes a ton of sense.

 

[Comanche Todd]

since it has a leather carry pouch with GI belt hangers, it could have been used by
surveyors, US Army Corps of Engineers