A fine English ship's binnacle compass of brass - a navigational instrument used for maritime travel. A binnacle is the housing that protects the compass and helps stabilize it despite the ship's movements, designed to shield the compass from the magnetic influences of the ship's structure. Even with modern electronic navigation, many international ships are still required to carry a standard magnetic compass, often mounted in a binnacle. The binnacle contains correctors, such as magnets and iron spheres (known as Kelvin's balls), to counteract magnetic deviation caused by iron parts of the ship. Great for a collector of nautical or merchant marine and naval items.