Oliver Vanasdal's Wonderful Homemade Working Compass, 1905 frog gig with some writing in pencil

with some writing in pencil on the face of it that I can't quite read

18+ inches tall and just shy of 10 inches wide

and I believe has seen its share of birthday parties

Nothing I love more than an old oil painting on wood panel

he measures 10 1/2" tall x 1 3/4" wide x 1 5/8" deep

Oliver Vanasdal's Wonderful Homemade Working Compass, 1905 frog gig with some writing in pencilI am very tempted to keep this one, such an excellent object, and how often does one come across an old handmade compass? (Pretty much never in my experience.) Wonderfully carved wooden perimeter rim, not quite regular, which was nailed down over glass to close up the case. The dial and needle look to be cut of tin, with hand drawn compass rose (looks like very dark graphite to me) and N and S stamped into the needle. And then on the back, its maker,