INK BOTTLE HOLDER. 19TH CENTURY

Description:
- Moustache box used exclusively for pencils, from the second half of the 19th century.
- It probably belonged to a compass box.
- It has the inscription 'Foreign' on the inside of one of the arms.
- The opening of the moustache, i.e. the distance between the needle arm and the arm with the body of the reeds, is adjusted by means of a small wheel that is screwed onto a threaded pin fixed to the needle arm by means of a micro-pin, which allows it to be turned.
- This distance is used to set the radius of the circumference to be drawn.
- It is made up of two parts. The pin and the articulated legs body. The bolt fixed to the body of the legs is knurled to improve the grip. One of the legs has a built-in mechanism for fixing the needle, while the other has a built-in mechanical pencil.
- The two legs are hinged, allowing the strokes to be perpendicular to the paper.
Preservation and damage:
- The compass has been thoroughly cleaned.
- It retains a beautiful period patina.
- The quality of the materials and manufacture of the compass is very good.
- The object shows wear and tear typical of it's age.

Comments:
- Measurements and weight are approximate.
- Very interesting as a collector's item and as a decorative element.
- The tones of the colours in the photos are not the same as the tones of the real colours.
- The object for sale is the one that corresponds to the photos. The description is not a detailed exposition of the object.
- The data provided here are personal opinions not contrasted.