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Object Overview
Here is a contrabarometer created in the 1990s, impressive not only for its size — a massive oak case standing 103 centimeters tall — but also for its sturdy construction. This barometer symbolizes strength and reliability, embodied in both material and form. The oak used for the case represents steadfastness, as if affirming its claim to eternity in a world of ever-changing natural phenomena. Its texture is rough yet majestic, with patterns emerging through the protective layer of varnish, evoking the power of nature that this instrument seeks to understand and record.
The sturdy case of the contrabarometer encloses all its elements with solid glass, without allowing direct access to the scale. It functions like a showcase, containing something precious, emitting a calm confidence as though it has locked the secrets of the atmosphere behind its glass walls, offering only glimpses of the complex interactions within.
A rack-and-pinion mechanism, with an external handle on the right side of the barometer, is used to manually mark the current weather value, enabling the observation of trends in rising or falling atmospheric pressure. By moving the brass marker along the scale, one can unlock the key to predicting future weather patterns.
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sifon
brass, cardboard, glass, wood
The inner wall of the barometer is lined with thick cardboard, providing a contrast of softness and warmth to the massive oak frame. On this cardboard surface, the scale is printed, delicately combining millimeters of mercury and hectopascals into a unified field of measurement. Besides the standard textual weather indicators, a weather scene unfolds here: illustrations of storms, clouds, and sunbeams visually narrate the potential shifts in the weather.
Additionally, two supplementary instruments are mounted on the cardboard base, enriching the device and making it even more comprehensive. A mercury thermometer, with both Fahrenheit and Celsius scales, is located in the upper left part of the instrument, balancing the strict lines of the main barometer scale. This thermometer is not only informative but also aesthetically pleasing, with its mercury column neatly enclosed in a brass tube.
The second element is a storm glass, a mysterious device that also exists as a separate barometer. Its presence adds a special charm to the instrument: the storm glass, reacting to atmospheric changes with crystalline formations inside, not only predicts the weather but also surprises with its almost alchemical beauty. This small window into the unpredictable elements adds a mystical component to the barometer, as though nature itself has enclosed its weather recipe in this small vessel.