The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection
1013.2012.1
Silva Pathfinder compass
26/09/2012
Hermione Cooper
26/09/2012
Silva baseplate compass in box
metal, perspex
8(l) x 5(w) cms
1
On box "OFFICIAL BOY SCOUT PATHFINDER COMPASS DURABLE ACCCURATE EASY TO USE NO 151 SILVA SYSTEM COMPASS HIKING MAPPIN ORIENTEERING"
On compass "BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA SILVA SYSTEM" and Boy Scouts logo
silver
Silva
Sweden
Silva or Sylva is latin for a wood or trees and when Swedish instrument maker, Gunnar Tillander, combined an ordinary compass with a protractor to make a single or base plate compass in 1928, he chose Silva as the name for his new creation as he spent a lot of time orienteering in his native forests.
So popular was Tillander's invention that it went global and the Silva pathfinder compass that we have here in the collection is an American Boy Scout version from the late, late 1940's - made in Sweden, but assembled in the US. Pretty much in mint condition Mick Tighe bought this one on e-Bay for £16.60 in 2012
We've added in a wee practice compass and extra instructions to this item as they were a bit lonely on their own!
Donated by Mick Tighe
26/09/2012
26/09/2012
Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007
26/09/2012