Barometers
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Stick barometer signed "F. S. Watt. London" in a walnut case. The mercury tube has large scales on both the left and the right, and adjustable sliding scales on both the left and the right. The sliding scales are labeled “10 A. M. Yesterday” and “10 A. M. Today”, and are moved by an ivory knob. Two keyed openings but only one knob is present. Mercury thermometer at the middle of the case. All scales appear to be ivory but can't be sure. Both glasses are beveled. A pinned wood cover hides a nice wood cistern. And a keyed calibration pin extends out the bottom of the case.
Large heavy barometer with lots of hand carved details. Interesting that all the carvings are made from a solid piece of oak. Mercury thermometer under glass in the throat. Lower barometer workings are visible inside a 8" convex enameled scale. Spiral cistern. The "Patent No 16538" marking on barometer scale dates this to about 1885 to 1910. 42" high.
Gartner & Marney Gimbaled Barometer
Mahogany cased mercury barometer designed for ships use. The barometer itself floats freely on a wall mounted brass gimbal, but it can be pulled up and hooked at the top for rough weather. The wood box cistern is signed Gartner & Marney Ltd. London, and protected by a brass covering that also hides an adjustment screw underneath. A hinged door at the top opens to the barometer tube, brass scale, slide vernier, and alcohol thermometer.
Aneroid dial barometer is in working order. The outer frame is mahogany, and the thick glass is beveled. A small knob in the center moves a second hand so you can track changes. Note the horizontal mercury thermometer is a rare feature, original and working. Ca. 1870
Mahogany mercury stick barometer labeled "L. Casella & Co. 23 Hatton Garden London". Designed for ships use the barometer floats on a brass gimbal and can be fastened to the wall at the top. Single scale adjusted with an ivory knob below the top window. Mercury thermometer. Carved wood cover over the mercury cistern at the bottom. Louis Pascal Casella worked at this location from 1858 to 1871, and was 'maker to the Admiralty, Board of Trade, Board of Ordnance and the Governments and Observatories of India, Russia, Spain, Portugal, the United States and the Brazils'. He became one of the largest makers of barometers in England.
Continuously records the atmospheric air pressure over a period of time. Aneroid barometer with four stacking tiers. Brass recording arm moves up and down with air pressure changes. An ink pen is mounted on the end of the arm. A brass recording drum has paper on the outside and hides a windup mechanism that turns the drum slowly. Have not wound it up fully so don't know how long it runs. Simple lever for moving arm away from paper. Lift off brass top with five glass panels. Mahogany wood base. Circa 1910. Unable to find any makers marks.
Mountain climbers and surveyors needed a better way to measure the height of mountains and large hills. So special expedition barometers were made that could be calibrated at the bottom of a mountain, carried on a climbers back, and then used to measure the air pressure difference at the top of the mountain. The case is brass and bronze with an opening at the top showing the mercury tube and a lower window just above the cistern. Right of the upper window is a silvered scale showing 55 to 81 cm (21.5 to 32 inches). A rack and pinion vernier can be moved up and down by turning a small threaded knob. The case floats on a gimbal where three bronze legs are screwed in. An adjustment knob is located at the bottom of the case. Lower on the barometer case is a well protected alcohol thermometer. The case is signed to the left of the thermometer “Ste cle de Produits chimiques. 44 & 42, rue des Ecoles Paris”, and “990” below the upper window.
English mercury barometer, height 41", ca. 1885. Admiral Fitzroy was famous as a pioneer for predicting weather. Unfortunately someone tipped the barometer on it's side sometime and the mercury no longer works due to air in the tube. Given that it is untouched and all original we are leaving it as-is for now. Looks great.
