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Dunhill Desktop Compendium, French Calendar

Name: Desktop Compendium | French Calendar
Brand: Dunhill
SKU: C_D248
Price: 2950.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

£2,950

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A surprising piece that marries multiple practical functions with an elegant aesthetic, this 1950’s Dunhill Compendium comprises a clock, compass, barometer, temperature gauge, and calendar in a single revolving cube design. Loved for its many uses, the piece is an tasteful objet d’art for any office desk or coffee table.

Worth Reading

Made by Dunhill in the 1950s, this silver compendium stands on a matching plinth and is a simple revolving cube, with a function set into each side. Over time it has a developed a lovely patina, offering it a classic, vintage look.

About the brand (H6 tag) Dunhill was initially a tobacconist’s shop in 1907, but quickly expanded to include shops in New York and Paris. In addition to their tobacco business, they also commissioned various luxury goods such as lighters, pipes, and curiosities such as this Compendium.

The compass sits on the top of the compendium, and the clock, barometer and temperature gauge all have ivory dials with black numerals and hands. Each function is rimmed with gold, giving them a subtle glow. The manually-adjusted perpetual calendar shows the months and weekdays in an ivory window in French, while the dates are engraved. The clock is on the front of the compendium and bears the signature ‘Dunhill Paris’.

Specifications

Brand:	Dunhill
Model:	Compendium
Movement:	Manual-winding
Function:	Manual Perpetual calendar: month, day, weekday; hours, minutes; Barometer, Compass, Temeprature (in Celsius)
Features:	Blue steel hands,
Size:	10 x 10 x 9.3 cm (L x W x H)
Year:	1950s

This Compendium remains in good condition, for an object of its age. It shows fading and slight scratches all over the case, consistent with age and use. The perpetual calendar has slightly faded but they remain fully legible. The dials, hands and crystals are original, and retain their patina.

This Dunhill Compendium has been fully serviced. It comes with a one-year mechanical warranty from A Collected Man.

We do not offer a warranty on our leather goods. This does not impact your statutory rights and your right to return a strap or accessory to us, if you are dissatisfied with your purchase.

Though every effort has been made to accommodate a wide range of watches, some our of straps of accessories may not be suitable for your timepiece. For example, not all spring bars will fit securely to all watch cases. We expressly exclude any liability, on our part, in the event of damage to your watch, should it become detached from its strap during wear.

Please be aware that any attempt to change a strap could result in unintended damage to your watch case or buckle. We cannot be held responsible for any attempt to fit a strap which is incorrectly sized for your timepiece.

Watch straps should be checked regularly to ensure they remain fully intact, particularly with quick-release spring bars, where the material is thinner on one side. Similarly, watch cases should be checked to ensure their inner holders and fasteners are free of defects and deterioration, outside of general wear and tear.

All of our leather goods are handmade products, where no two are identical. As a result, small cosmetic and size differences can be expected.

We offer worldwide delivery on our straps and accessories. If ordering from overseas, delivery will depend on the destination. All import taxes and duties are the responsibility of the buyer.

If ordering from the UK before 1 PM, your strap will be sent the same working day. For Royal Mail deliveries within the UK the expected delivery time is 1 - 3 days, and for international DHL deliveries the expected delivery time is 1 - 2 days.

You can cancel your order without giving any reason, within 14 days from the day the strap has been delivered to you.

The original Compendium was designed by the visionary Paul Dupré-Lafon for Hermes. His background as an architect and a decorator can clearly be seen in the combination of Cubist philosophies and Art Deco geometric lines of the piece. The critic and designer Michel Dufet once claimed that Dupré-Lafon “understood the profound essence of luxury”, a statement which the compendium embodies with its multiple functions, aesthetic elegance, and functional details.

Read more about the designer here.