I recently said goodby to my stepfather. He passed away in March. It was very sad and I am just starting to think about him now, having been preoccupied with handling his estate and various affairs that you have to take care of when a loved one passes.

One of the things that I was tasked with doing was cleaning out his house so that it could go on the market. Those of you who have done a house clean-out know that you learn things about your loved one that you didn't know and you find a bunch of items that you probably didn't know that they had. Today I am writing about one of the items that I found while doing the house clean-out.

This very cool-looking vintage compass hasn't been manufactured in 70 years or so. If my research was findings were close, it was last made sometime in the late 1040s or early 1950s. The information available out there varies. It's a Leupold Sportsman Compass for those who might look it up. I found it in a junk drawer in the kitchen. Doug, that's my stepfather, used to hunt with his father when he was a boy, so it made sense that he would have a compass. I was very amazed to find this one and to discover what great condition it is in. It looks brand new. It wasn't even in a box, so go figure.

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A vintage Leupold Sportsman Compass from the late 40s or early 50s 
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I recently set out to find the instructions manual, so that I can have a little fun learning how to use it correctly. I first searched google and came up sort of empty. Then I decided to send an email to the Leupold company. The company is still in business today as a manufacturer of various scopes and binoculars. The email paid off!

A product specialist was able to scan and send me a copy of the original instruction manual. It was a bit difficult to read because it was faded somewhat, but I think I can see it good enough to make some headway. The specialist was surprised at the condition of the compass and told me that one day he was going to find one for sale and pick it up for some home decor. Maybe that was a hint, I don't know.

In any case, I don't think I will be selling it, although I did see a couple of them listed in the neighborhood of $200 on eBay. I will eventually learn how to use the compass correctly. When I do, maybe I'll write about my adventures using it to navigate around the Berkshires!

 

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