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Sarah Le Helley

Chinese Wood Compass Inscribed in Ink, early 20th century.
H2.7 x W21.3 x D21.7 cm
Weight 765 g

The compass is the result of the ancient discovery of magnetic properties of objects. One of ancient China's great inventions, it has played an inestimable role in the development of human science, technology and civilization. In ancient China, the compass was first used for worship, fortune-telling and geomancy - the art of aligning buildings. In the late 11th or early 12th century, Chinese sailors adopted the compass for astronomical and terrestrial navigation, heralding a new era in the history of navigation. The first compasses had a central pool of water surrounded by concentric circles. Others had a thimble, magnetic needle, submarine line, outer box, and a glass cover fixed across the inner disk. 

This one has an outer plate inlaid with wood with several concentric circles. Each concentric circle shows diagrams, constellations, patterns, and words related to the heavens. This compass is made of yellow wood with twenty concentric circles outside the central 'Tianchi pool'. Each circle represents different aspects of the ancient Chinese understanding of nature. Observations about the heavens, the world and the universe illustrate the surface.

Ink inscription on front and back of wooden box cover:
Guangdong
Guangzhou City Wall (Present Guangzhou City)
Xihu St. (Present Xihu Rd.)
Medium range
Ju Sancai (Name of Producer)
Dounan family
Produced by

Ink inscription in the center of the back of the wooden box:
Goat City Wall (Present Guangzhou City)
Xihu St. (Present Xihu Rd.)
Ju Sancai (Name of Producer)
Produced by

Ink inscription on top of the back of the wooden box:
Compass


Provenance: 
Acquired from private collection in 1986, Hong Kong

Condition:
Overall in good condition. Some abrasion caused by age. The red lacquer on the interior of the wooden box has some cracks and peeling due to age. There are two cracks on the exterior of one side of the wooden box, one about 2 centimeters long, which has been repaired, and the other about 3.5 centimeters long.


Shipping worldwide by EMS, usually 7-14 days to deliver.

China - 1910-1920, 1920-1930

Compass - Chinese - Wood - Inscribed in Ink

Chinese Art

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