Barometers Realm

Léon Maxant was a French watchmaker and instrument manufacturer. He was born in 1856 and began producing watches in 1879. Maxant expanded the company’s activities to include the production of precision instruments when, in 1887, he acquired the company Maison Desbordes. J. Desbordes founded a company in 1824 that specialized in manufacturing physics apparatus, with a focus on manometers. This direction was prompted by legislation passed the previous year, which made it mandatory to install manometers on all high-pressure steam engines. Additionally, the company produced metallic barometers, thermometers, dynamometers, and pyrometers. In 1890, it merged with the firm Guibert - A. Casse & Cie and was later acquired by Léon Maxant. From then on, the business was called “Instruments de Précision, Léon Maxant Sr.” and was located at 64 Rue de Saintonge in Paris, but by 1902 it also had a branch at 38 Rue Belgrand.

Léon Maxant’s company produced barometers, barographs, manometers, as well as pyrometers, thermometers, thermographs, speedometers, laboratory instruments, and other devices.

In 1902, Maxant acquired the competing company Alfred Casse, which specialized in the production of aneroid barometers. In 1905, he purchased Maison Antoine Redier from its then-owners.

Léon Maxant passed away in 1936, leaving the business to his three sons. Maxant Industries still exists today and, since 1999, has been part of Jules Richard Instruments (JRI), located in Fesches-le-Châtel, near Audincourt and Beaucourt.