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conventional movement tensioned on a C-spring
brass, cast iron, glass, steel
This Hollandisch Glass-Dial Brass Barometer, dating to around 1875 and made by the French company Lion et Guichard, which continued barometric production after Breguet, features a case shaped in the characteristic borrel form typical of wall-mounted models — a rounded, downward-flaring, almost chalice-like silhouette, cast from solid brass with a warm shade. At the top of the case is a large suspension ring, allowing the instrument to be displayed as a wall barometer.
A unique feature of this model is the absence of a traditional dial plate: the barometric scale is applied directly to the inner surface of the thick protective glass. The glass itself is substantial, with a wide faceted edge that visually lends the instrument depth and a certain “optical thickness.”
Mounted on the front surface of the glass is a trend indicator — an auxiliary pointer with a knurled brass knob that allows the user to manually record the tendency of pressure changes.
The barometric scale is concentric and calibrated in millimetres of mercury over a range of 700–790 mmHg. Along the arc of the outer ring are weather inscriptions in Dutch:
On the faceted inner edge of the glass appears a micro-inscription, “Hollandisch.” This is an exceptionally rare marking: it identifies the target market of the instrument and its linguistic adaptation. Such micro-markings applied directly to glass occur extremely infrequently, making this specimen a collectible “regional edition.”
Thanks to the open architecture of the case and the large 160-mm transparent dial, the barometer’s movement is fully visible. Its construction reflects the refined craftsmanship characteristic of the workshops of Lion & Guichard. At the centre lies a large aneroid capsule, approximately 70 mm in diameter, made of German silver. The capsule is tensioned by an elegant C-shaped spring, which transfers the motion of the capsule’s upper membrane to the main lever. The substantial steel lever carrying the spring is secured by two screws with the manufacturer’s typical heat-blued square heads. The primary shaft features a spherical counterweight and offers precise adjustment in two directions via tiny screws, also with square heads. The open layout lends the instrument a distinctly “technical” character, allowing the entire kinematic chain to be observed directly.
This brass barometer — with its dial printed directly on glass, its rare Hollandisch micro-marking, and its fully exposed mechanism — represents a valuable example of a regionally adapted instrument of high craftsmanship. It combines the decorative presence of the case, the structural clarity of the mechanism, and a vivid visualisation of the aneroid’s operation, making it an important addition to any specialised barometer collection.
