This large brass prismatic half hunter pocket compass was made by Stanley of London in 1905 and was military issued within the British Indian Army, as indicated by the broad arrow above an 'I' on the dial, just above the south cardinal point.

It has a distinctive black and green floating card dial, which pivots on a gemstone bearing beneath a clean glass crystal. Although there are some superficial marks, the hinged brass case is in good condition, retaining virtually all of its original anodised coating and the glass aperture is clean, with its index line intact.

A substantial pocket compass, it is larger than most examples of its kind, measuring 2¾" (70 mm) in diameter, excluding the stem, by ¾" (20 mm) in depth and weighing just under 280 grams.

The prism shows a clear image of the dial (see photo) and includes a manual finger brake for taking quick bearings as well as a sliding transit lock to hold the dial in place when the lid is closed.

It is accompanied by a later stitched leather case for added protection giving the compass and case a combined weight of just under 380 grams.