map measurer

Map measure of the month: HC Universal, with compass and ‘reading glass’

This month's map measure is an intriguing HC Universal curvimetre, with compass and magnifier. But is it a good combination?

map measurer

Map measure of the month: the Automobile Association ‘scale rule’ bookmark

Simple scale rules were included with some road atlases published by the Automobile Association and acted both as bookmark and map measure.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: George Philip & Son Rotameter

"a small, but sturdily built, wheeled measurer, fitted with a dial and rotating hands which indicate lengths of traverse up to 25 feet or 300 inches" Philip & Son

map measurer

Map measure of the month: >W&G< Drawing Instruments- model WG/5006

The >W&G< measure is an Australian made scale ruler from a company that began manufacturing duplicate printing plates and supplying printer equipment but went on to build a reputation for their well-made drawing instruments.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: John Hand & Sons “Miledial”

This map measure is a quality instrument from a well-known French manufacturer, but with a twist. The Miledial was especially made for export to the US market, to be sold by one of the premier retailers of nautical instruments

map measurer

Map measure of the month: the Sakurai centimetre curvimeter

The Japanese made Sakurai centimetre measure is simple and attractive but has lost the capability for very accurate measurement over the past couple of decades.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Harvey Maps 25k and 40k ‘map-measure-go!’ laces

It is not often that a new design of map measure appears on the market. Harvey Maps bucked the trend in 2022 and released a fun little product- boot and shoe laces complete with printed scales to suit their most popular map scales- 1:25 000 and 1: 40 000.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: the Carl Zeiss Jena/Freiberger Präszisionsmechanik Kurvimeter 78

The Freiberger Präzisionsmechanik company is based in Saxony, Germany and has a long and convoluted history that has seen many name and structural changes. From 1965 to 1990, they were part of the Kombinat VEB Carl Zeiss Jena optics parent company. The Kurvimeter 78 map measure looked at here dates from that period of Soviet control.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: Elliott Brothers opisometer

Elliott Brothers were one of the foremost instrument makers of the 19th and 20th centuries. The two opisometers looked here are prime examples of their craft

map measurer

Map measure of the month: the “Inco” Krzywomierz Turystyczny

This months map measure was manufactured by Polish manufacturer ZZG INCO (Zakład Chemii Budowlanej United Economic Teams INCO-Veritas) for both civilian and military use. It is simple, well made and accurate.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: a Fritz Chatelain measure

This map measure from Fritz Chatelain of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, was sold by Lawrence & Mayo in the early 20th century. The accurate and high quality instrument was later called the 'Universal Map Measure'.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: the Zlatoust curvimeter KY-A

The Russian made KY-A Curvimeter was made for both the civilian market and the Red Army at the fabled Zlatoust watch factory in the 1970s. Cheaply made from plastic and metal, it is a robust and reasonably accurate instrument.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: the Hugh Rees “Regent”

The Regent map measurer, sometimes referred to as a map gauge, was a simple and quite robust tool sold by London bookseller Hugh Rees Ltd.

map measurer

Map measure of the month: the Minerva Curvimeter C-01

The Minerva Curvimeter, model number C-01, is a beautifully crafted Swiss made map measure with one of the smoothest tracking mechanisms to be found on this type of instrument. This is unsurprising, considering this measure was made by a company skilled in producing high-quality watches.

map measurer

Three Points of the Compass

Lightweight backpacking, gear chat, knife chat, map measures and anything outdoorsy

map measurer

Map measure of the month: HC Universal, with compass and ‘reading glass’

Map measure of the month: the Automobile Association ‘scale rule’ bookmark

Map measure of the month: George Philip & Son Rotameter

Map measure of the month: >W&G< Drawing Instruments- model WG/5006

Map measure of the month: John Hand & Sons “Miledial”

Map measure of the month: the Sakurai centimetre curvimeter

Map measure of the month: Harvey Maps 25k and 40k ‘map-measure-go!’ laces

Map measure of the month: the Carl Zeiss Jena/Freiberger Präszisionsmechanik Kurvimeter 78

Map measure of the month: Elliott Brothers opisometer

Map measure of the month: the “Inco” Krzywomierz Turystyczny

Map measure of the month: a Fritz Chatelain measure

Map measure of the month: the Zlatoust curvimeter KY-A

Map measure of the month: the Hugh Rees “Regent”

Map measure of the month: the Minerva Curvimeter C-01

Map measure of the month: the Panerai Nautical Curvimeter model PAM00302

Map measure of the month: W&HC navigation dividers

Map measure of the month: Model D13777- the Discovery Channel ‘deluxe map measurer with compass’

Map measure of the month: the Vistascreen Pathfinder

Map measure of the month: HB Curvimètre ‘Model No. 54M’

Map measure of the month: The Oldbury Optical Distameter