Silva compass
The liquid-filled compass on a plastic baseplate that became the tool of orienteering.
Gunnar Tillander, a Swedish orienteer, designed a compass in which the needle floats in liquid and settles quickly. Together with the Kjellström brothers he built up the company Silva in Stockholm.
The compass sits on a transparent plate so that it can be laid straight on the map. It became common in orienteering, outdoor life and the military and is often called a baseplate compass.
Materials: Plastic, liquid-filled capsule, magnetic needle
Manufacture: Developed by Gunnar Tillander and sold by Silva in Sweden from the 1930s.
The transparent plastic plate with a ruler.
The liquid-filled compass housing with a rotating ring.
The arrow showing the direction of travel.