Cavalry sketching board, 1913

Although this sketching board is small it is packed full of useful features. The two side bars act as rollers allowing a long piece of paper to be rolled across the board. It also has a compass, ruler, scales and a gadget called a clinometre. This is for measuring the angle of a slope. On the back there are even some observations scribbled down by its last owner.

The sturdy leather strap was used to secure it to your forearm so that it could be used whilst on horseback. Through clever design, the field sketching board made important contributions to military reconnaissance.