Coat of Arms Pocket Compass — Solid Brass, Engraved | FamilyCrests
Solid brass pocket compass engraved with the Johnson family name and a personal inscription
Close detail of the Johnson coat of arms engraved into the brass compass lid
Engraved brass pocket compass open on an antique map beside a quill and inkwell
Two inch engraved brass pocket compass held in the palm of a hand
Engraved brass pocket compass beside its black gift box

Coat of Arms Pocket Compass

★★★★★ 39+ 5-star reviews
$249.99

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Materials

Solid brass, two inches across and about 17 mm deep, with a hinged lid and a brass ring for a chain or a watch pocket. It is brass all the way through rather than plating over a lighter metal, and it has the weight to prove it. The dial sits under glass and the needle swings free. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth, and keep polishes away from the engraved lines, where residue settles and dulls the cut. Supplied in a gift box.

Design

Two faces, two engravings. Your coat of arms is cut into the outer lid, squared to the ring so it stands upright when the compass hangs from a chain. Inside, on the face you see the moment you open it, your surname and a line of your own. Both are cut into the brass itself rather than printed onto it, so they keep their edge however often the piece is handled.

Research

We compose a coat of arms for your surname from published heraldic reference material, following the historical rules by which arms were built — the divisions of the shield, the tinctures, and the charges placed upon them. Arms were granted to individuals rather than to surnames, so this is a coat of arms historically associated with the name. No direct genealogical connection to your family or ancestry is implied or intended.

Personalization

You need your surname, and a line to go inside if you want one — up to 60 characters, which is about eleven words. Leave it blank and the inside carries the surname on its own. You do not need to know anything about heraldry, and you do not need to know your family history. If your family already has arms of its own, send us the artwork and we will engrave those instead.

Something to Carry, Not to Hang

Most of what we make is meant for a wall. This one is meant for a pocket. A compass belongs to the part of the story nobody framed — the leaving, the crossing, the arriving somewhere with a name and not much else. It closes into the palm, it has real weight, and it opens onto two things at once: the arms composed for your surname, and a line you wrote yourself.

Engraved brass pocket compass open on a writing desk with books and a sealed letter

The Line Inside Is Yours

The lid you show the world carries the arms. The face only you see carries whatever you decide to put there — a date, a name, a sentence someone in your family used to say. Eighty characters, cut into the brass, permanent. It is the one part of the piece we do not design, and usually the part that means the most to whoever opens it.

Inside lid of the brass compass engraved with a family name and personal dedication

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FAQs

Do you ship worldwide?

Yes — we ship worldwide. Production time is typically 7–10 business days, plus shipping time depending on your location.

How big is it?

Two inches across — 50 mm — and about 17 mm deep, roughly 75 mm end to end including the ring. It closes into the palm of a hand and hangs from its brass ring on a chain or a belt loop.

Does it actually work as a compass?

Yes. The needle swings free under glass and it finds north. It is built as a keepsake rather than as a field instrument, so we would not navigate a mountain by it — but it does what a compass does.

How long can the inscription inside be?

Up to 60 characters including spaces — about eleven words, set on two lines beneath your surname. The lid is round, so the lines have to stay short to keep the lettering at a size the engraving can hold. Leave the field blank and the inside carries your surname on its own.

Can I send you my own coat of arms?

Yes. If your family has arms of its own, send us the artwork and we will engrave that design rather than ours.

I don’t know much about my family history. Can I still buy?

Yes. You only need your surname. We compose the arms from published heraldic reference material, following the historical rules by which arms were built — no research into your own ancestors is required, and none is implied.

Are coats of arms the same as family crests?

Not exactly. The crest is one element only (the figure above the helmet), while the coat of arms refers to the full design — shield, crest, and motto.

Are your coats of arms legally recognized?

Our designs are composed from historical heraldic sources. Official recognition depends on the country and its heraldic authority (for example the College of Arms in England, or the Chief Herald of Ireland), and we do not claim it.

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