Binnacle and compass, 1876
Image information
Sizing information
| Overall size (inc frame) | x cm ( x in) |
| Depth | cm (in) |
| Artwork | x cm ( x in) |
| Border (mount) |
cm
top/bottom
(in)
cm left/right (in) |
| The paper size of our wall art shipped from the US is sized to the nearest inch. | |
Binnacle and compass, 1876
This is an early example of a compass and binnacle patented in 1876 (patent no. 1339) by Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) to overcome one of the main navigational problems of the 19th century. The growing use of iron in the construction of ships affected the accuracy of the compass, as attraction by the iron caused compass needles to deviate from magnetic north in unpredictable ways. In response, the Scottish mathematician and physicist Sir William Thomson (1824-1907) developed a new compass housing, or binnacle, to overcome this problem. Thomson's patent included: incorporating corrector magnets and iron spheres to counteract the effects of the ship's iron; a light card with small needles, which was less subject to oscillation and wear than the cards previously used; and improved gimbals to keep the compass level. Sir William Thomson
- Image reference: C9296
- National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.
Discover more
More by this artist
Search for similar images
Product images of Binnacle and compass, 1876
Our prints
We use a 240gsm fine art paper and premium branded inks to create the perfect reproduction.
Our expertise and use of high-quality materials means that our print colours are independently verified to last between 100 and 200 years.
Read more about our fine art prints.
Manufactured in the UK
All products are printed in the UK, using the latest digital presses and a giclée printmaking process.
We only use premium branded inks, and colours are independently verified to last between 100 and 200 years.
Delivery & returns
We print everything to order so delivery times may vary but all unframed prints are despatched within 2-4 days via courier or recorded mail.
Due to the coronovirus pandemic and Brexit situation, current shipping times may be longer, particularly for destinations outside the UK.
Delivery to the UK is £5 for an unframed print of any size.
We will happily replace your order if everything isn’t 100% perfect.
