It is in a good condition. There is a mirror on the back of the compass and two lenses, one small and one large, on the good side. The compass, the signal mirror and the magnifying glass are all in working. The telescopic focus is in good condition and is slightly worn due to use, the hinges are loosened, the arms are opened.

The first compasses were made using a magnet stone. First, when sailors put a small piece of magnet stone on a garbage and dropped it into the water, they discovered that the garbage aligned with the Earth’s magnetic field lines and one end of it pointed to the Pole Star. This discovery was immediately followed by a second. An iron or steel needle that had been in contact with the magnet stone for a long time was also aligned in the north-south direction.
The magnetic compass was first invented during China’s Han Dynasty (since 206 BC) as a device for divination and then it was adopted for cruising by Song Dynasty Chinese in the 11th century. The compass was first mentioned in France in 1200. This was followed by England in 1207 and Iceland in 1213. At that time, the compass had a primitive structure. The first important development was made by Pierre de Maricourt (1269). After threading the needle into a shaft, he placed it inside a transparent and graded box on one side.
The compass we have is the most advanced compass of the period, it helped soldiers determine the direction and distance on the battlefield in the World War I.