Portuguese bearing compasses
Manufacturer: Manuel Ferreira Portugal
Origin: Portugal (Lisbon)
1755
Wood, paper, metal and glass
Height: 350 mm; Lenght: 350 mm; Width: 350 mm.
MM.05263
Manufacturer: José Teixeira
Origin: Portugal (Pernambuco). 1773.
Wood, paper, metal and glass
Height: 300 mm; Lenght: 300 mm; Width: 300 mm.
MM.05264
The Portuguese bearing compass was developed during the sixteenth century and was used until the late eighteenth century. This type of compass was essentially different from any other type, as it was very user friendly, highly portable and only required one observer. This would have been very appealing to the other European navies, and the majority of this type of objects is found abroad. This instrument, also known as an Azimuth Compass, was designed primarily to determine the variation of the compass (its error) by marking the sun at sunrise and sunset. The introduction of two removable brass sighting vanes allowed it to be used to mark objects or distant aiming points as well.