Loading
Object Overview
A French Navy barometer circa 1910, signed by Léon Maxant and bearing the Guilbert & Cie logo on the reverse. The barometer’s brass case features an unusual decorative element for such instruments — a brass anchor attached to a suspension ring. The barometer is equipped with a cardboard dial whose outer ring displays a scale in millibars, while the inner ring uses millimeters of mercury. At the top of the dial is an anchor symbol flanked by the inscription "Marine Nationale," the French name for the French Navy.
The Maxant company, renowned for manufacturing a wide range of pressure-related instruments — including barometers, manometers, barographs, pyrometers, thermometers, thermographs, laboratory equipment, dynamometers, tower clocks, and onboard instruments for the navy — maintained a close relationship with the Marine Nationale. Founded in the 17th century, the French Navy is one of the world’s oldest naval forces. These ties were so significant that Maxant incorporated an anchor symbol into its logo to emphasize its collaboration with the navy.
The barometer’s dial is protected by a thick, flat glass with beveled edges, at the center of which is a brass trend indicator needle equipped with a handle for adjustment. The glass is secured by a thin brass bezel featuring an unusual locking screw, designed to hold the bezel in place on the instrument’s case — a rare feature for barometers of this form factor.
The indicator needle, made of blued steel, is adorned with a crescent moon-shaped tailpiece.
At the heart of the barometer lies a sensitive aneroid capsule paired with a flat spring and lever system. The mechanism's design reflects the influence of earlier barometer manufacturers that were eventually absorbed by Maxant.
In the late 19th century, the French company Guilbert & Cie, based in Paris, specialized in the production of aneroid barometers. Their products were known for their high quality and precision, making them popular among buyers of that era. The company’s distinctive logo featured a leather belt with the initials “G&C” at the center.
The business was later taken over by Alfred Casse — better known from the partnership of Dubois & Casse — who continued the production of aneroid barometers under his own name. In 1902, the Maxant company acquired Alfred Casse’s business, carrying on the tradition of manufacturing high-quality aneroid barometers.
The Maxant logo, which includes an anchor and the initials of its founder, Leon Maxant, is a modification of the Dubois & Casse logo, indicating continuity between these companies.
For more details about the Maxant company, you can visit the page dedicated to this barograph.