Dip circle, box and case made by Dover-Charlton, associated with Douglas Mawson 1907-1909 Nimrod expedition

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Type: Geophysical survey equipment
Place: Antarctica
Materials: Metal - non specific, Wood
Collection: Bureau of Mineral Resources collection no. 1
Accession number: 1987.0010.0021

Description

A trunk style box with wooden sides and a metal frame and cornices. The trunk has a leather handle and evenly distributed metal studs on each surface. A sticker adhered to the lid reads 'M404673'. The trunk containsa wooden box that holds a dip circle. The box has hammer latches and a leather strap with a metal buckle running around the outside of the box. One face is missing from the box.[conservation has replaced this with black foam core board]. Two labels are tied to the metal buckle. One of the labels reads 'SERVICEABLE / ITEM: CREAK DIP CIRCLE / Date: 15/4/65'. The dip circle contained within the box is a scientific instrument made from brass with circular glass windows in the central section. There are three black metal boxes secured to the inside of the door. The two smaller boxes hold needles/pointers and a longer one holds five magnets.

This dip circle was purchased from Sir Douglas Mawson in 1948. There is evidence (but not 100% verified) that this was the dip circle Mawson used to locate the South Magnetic Pole for the very first time while on the Ernest Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition (1907-1909) with his mentor Tannat Edgeworth David. Lloyd-Creak pattern dip circle made by Dover-Charlton-Kent, Serial No 149.

Read live from the Museum's Collection API (12/11/2026, 5:24:50 am). Record last updated by the Museum 2026-09-08. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.