The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection
1135.2014.1
Recta Sighting Compass
10/06/2014
Hermione Cooper
10/06/2014
Pull out Recta Sighting Compass in metal case with hanging cord
metal, perspex, cotton
6.5(l) x 4.5 (w) x 1.8(d) cms when closed
1
"RECTA WATCH CO. BIENNE MADE IN SWITZERLAND PATENTED"
black
Recta
Switzerland
If you are interested in compasses there is an excellent online compass museum called Compassipedia to which we are indebted for much of the following information.
Muller and Vaucher were a Swiss company formed way back in 1897 and it seems that a descendant of the original founder called Eric Vaucher created the revolutionary Recta Matchbox compass back in 1940, having been rather unimpressed by the compasses being used at the time by the Swiss Army. He got a patent in 1941 and the Swiss Army issued it to their troops immediately.
Recta compasses made their way to the UK in the 1950's and 60's and they seem to have been pretty popular amongst the mountaineering fraternity at the time - unsurprisingly given the quality and simplicity of use. The various models were prefixed by the letters 'DP' followed by a number and whilst we are not sure which model this one is we are fairly sure it's from the 1950's.
Recta was acquired by the Finnish company Suunto in 1996 and all manufacturing seems to have been transferred to Finland in 2009. Recta compasses of this vintage were selling for around £20 on the internet in 2014.
Donated by Ian Parrish
10/06/2014
10/06/2014
Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007
10/06/2014