#25 • Chinese "Si Nan" Compass w/Lodestone Spoon

Part of 2025 APAA Staff Holiday Auction (timed auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $35.00

Status: Sold

Category: Decorative Objects

A Chinese compass, known as a "South-pointer" or Si Nan, often considered one of the" Four Great Inventions of Ancient China." It consists of a spoon-shaped piece of naturally magnetized mineral (lodestone) placed on a bronze plate with directional characters and constellations. The handle of the spoon aligns with the Earth's magnetic field, pointing South. Initially used by jade hunters to prevent them from getting lost, the compass later found significant application in maritime navigation during the Song Dynasty. The compass brass plate measures approximately 7" x 7".