Skip to main content Skip to main navigation
heart-solid My Visit Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution IK development site for ODI
Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu.
    • Overview
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Museum Maps
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
    • Overview
    • Exhibitions
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
    • Overview
    • Topics
    • Collections
    • Research Resources
    • Stories
    • Podcasts
    • Overview
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
    • Overview
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
    • Overview
    • Our Organization
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
    • Newsdesk
heart-solid My Visit Donate

Safe-T Circle Perfect Compass

American History Museum

Circle Perfect Drawing Compass
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer
  • Circle Perfect Drawing Compass
  • Circle Perfect Drawing Compass

    Object Details

    maker

    Safe-T Products, Inc.

    Description

    This instrument consists of two orange molded plastic discs held together by a metal screw and a plastic bolt, a blue pencil, and a blue plastic stylus with a metal point. The pencil and the stylus fit between the discs on opposite sides of the screw. The user adjusts the screw and stylus to the desired diameter for the circle, according to a scale from zero to ten inches on the front of the instrument or a scale from zero to 24 centimeters on the back of the instrument. The compass is somewhat flimsy to operate.
    The front of the disc is marked: CIRCLE™ (/) PERFECT (/) #45748. The back is also marked: pat. pend. The stylus is marked: CHINA. A blue and orange cardboard backing was held to the instrument by the screw. The back of the card has instructions and is marked: Pat. Pend. (/) Made in China (/) SAFE-T PRODUCTS™, Inc. (/) P.O. Box 692 (/) LaGrange, IL 60625 [sic]. As with other Safe-T items in the collections, this model number was used for distribution to retail stores. Extra Measures, the company associated with Safe-T Products, sold this compass through its own catalog as model number 45743 for $2.25 around 2000. For company information, see 2000.0160.04.
    References: Bruce Stoneberg, "Circle Compass" (U.S. Patent 5,630,278 issued May 20, 1997); accession file.

    Location

    Currently not on view

    Credit Line

    Gift of Extra Measures, Inc.

    date made

    1997-2000

    ID Number

    2000.0160.07

    accession number

    2000.0160

    catalog number

    2000.0160.07

    Object Name

    compass
    compass, drawing

    Physical Description

    lead (overall material)
    wood (overall material)
    plastic (overall material)
    metal (overall material)
    cardboard (overall material)

    Measurements

    overall: 2.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 20.2 cm; 31/32 in x 2 15/16 in x 7 15/16 in

    place made

    China

    Associated Place

    United States: Illinois, Bensenville

    See more items in

    Medicine and Science: Mathematics
    Science & Mathematics
    Dividers and Compasses

    Data Source

    National Museum of American History

    Subject

    Mathematics
    Drawing Instruments
    Education

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a7-5229-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

    Record ID

    nmah_904395

    Discover More

    Light wooden blackboard compass. One end has a rubber tip, and the other has a chalk tip.

    Compasses

    arrow-up Back to top
    Home
    • Facebook facebook
    • Instagram instagram
    • LinkedIn linkedin
    • YouTube youtube

    • Contact Us
    • Get Involved
    • Shop Online
    • Job Opportunities
    • Equal Opportunity
    • Inspector General
    • Records Requests
    • Accessibility
    • Host Your Event
    • Press Room
    • Privacy
    • Terms of Use