How old is Taylor insrument companies Boy Scout compass?

Answer 1

Some approximate date guidelines I've learned in online research:

The metal cased pocket watch style was made in the 1920's to mid-1930's. They were replaced with a design having an eight sided reddish-brown plastic (Bakelite) case. These are identified by the needle design.

From the later thirties through the forties, the needle was black with a twisted bar shape, and the North tip was white. Starting about 1950, the needle was red, with a very narrow oval shape and a white line lengthways on the North end. About 1957, the needle was changed to red with sharp pointed ends, and a "N" was cut out of the North half of the needle. This lasted until about 1963. The Bakelite Taylor price went from 75 cents to $1.85 over its roughly 25 year lifespan.

These metal and Bakelite cased Taylors were sold without the BSA markings as their "Leedawl" compass. The Bakelite "Leedawl" was black, rather than the reddish-brown color.

The last Taylor Boy Scout compass was first offered in 1963 for $2.00 and had a round clear plastic capsule. You could see through the capsule, which had map orienting lines etched into the bottom. This was surrounded by a black plastic ring with the degree markings on it. It kept the red cut-out "N' needle of the final Bakelite style. A similar design is now made by the Brunton compass company and called the "Trailbuster".

Taylor merged with a medical device company, and as best as I can determine, stopped making any sort of compass about 1974.

As an interesting side note, Taylor made many of the precise measuring instruments used in developing the first atomic bomb, and some components of the actual bombs that were used against Japan.