Barometers Realm

This miniature Ivory-cased silver-mounted aneroid barometer, dated 1901, was manufactured by the French company E. Hüe in collaboration with a renowned jewellery brand. It represents a true masterpiece of decorative applied arts at the turn of the twentieth century.

The barometer’s case, crafted by the Irish firm Andrew Barrett & Sons, is made of finely turned ivory, adorned with a delicate applied silver ornament. Encircling the entire body is a stylised branch bearing pomegranates (recognisable by their characteristic “crowns”) — a symbol of abundance, vitality, and mystery. This motif, though rare, was a particularly expressive element in the applied arts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially in Central Europe. Ivory is not merely a decorative material, but a symbol of durability, rarity, and collectible prestige. Combined with silver and a brass bezel, the piece evokes the impression of an object that is at once scientific and artistic — as if a jeweller and a meteorologist had joined forces.

Detailed silver hallmarks provide further insight into the object’s provenance:

• The Lion passant in a shaped cartouche with concave cusps marks sterling silver of 925 purity.
• A lowercase “f” in a wavy-edged cartouche is a hallmark date letter, designating the year 1901.
• The uppercase “F” in an oval cartouche indicates imported silver, used to identify foreign silverware; the adjacent maker’s mark “AB & Sns” refers to the British importing firm Andrew Barrett & Sons.
• The uncrowned leopard’s head in a shield-shaped cartouche is the city mark for London, in use since 1822.

The open dial is made of cardboard and features a concentric barometric scale in centimetres of mercury, ranging from 68 to 79. Around the outer edge are seven weather terms in standard French, printed in uppercase letters using a mix of serif and sans-serif typefaces. The open design offers a view into the heart of the mechanism, where an elegant movement reveals finely cut brass plates and levers, adding mechanical depth and ornamental complexity.

Notably absent is the familiar swan-necked C-spring typically seen in barometers of this kind. Instead, the mechanism relies on a hidden internal spiral spring housed inside the sensitive aneroid capsule. A tiny rod, resting freely atop the capsule’s upper wall, captures the capsule’s slightest motion and transfers it to the main lever, which in turn moves a secondary lever connected via a chain of linkages to the pointer shaft.

The instrument belongs to the category of modular insert movements, listed in the manufacturer E. Hüe’s 1905 official catalogue under designations such as baromètres pour calendriers, baromètres presse-papier, and baromètres pour emboîtage. These devices had no decorative casing of their own and were conceived as compact measurement modules in plain cylindrical metal housings, intended for mounting in external structures. Such barometers were fitted into frames, panels, control boards — but most commonly, into hand-crafted cases made of wood, silver, horn, or ivory.

These barometers were designed to be integrated into more complex objects — usually desktop accessories or souvenir items. In early 20th-century France, it was common practice to combine measuring instruments with decorative or office objects: desk calendars, paperweights, inkwells, or miniature weather stations. Such barometers were often paired with mechanical calendars or multifunctional devices and distributed through stationers, gift shops, jewellery houses, and luxury goods dealers. Thanks to their compact size and versatility, E. Hüe mechanisms were particularly popular among furniture-makers and jewellers, who created custom housings — from simple wooden frames to elaborate caskets and writing sets.

Of special note is the baromètres pour emboîtage line, which was designed for craftsmen seeking a standardised measuring module to embed in their own creations. The E. Hüe catalogue lists dozens of sizes and finish options, attesting to the scale of production and the broad applicability of these instruments.

Andrew Barrett & Sons

Andrew Barrett was born in Ireland in 1819 but had set up in business in London as a brush and comb maker by 1846 at 118 Piccadilly.

By 1852 he had moved to 86A Edgware Road. By 1865 he is also listed as a sponge importer and his premises have greatly increased to include 53 Albermarle St, 63 & 64 Piccadilly, 186 Oxford St and 29 St. Georges Pl. as well as his Edgware Road address. By 1880 he had moved from Edgware Road, and Oxford Street which was occupied by Charles Usher who described himself as late Andrew Barrett and conducted a similar business. Usher was likely an employee who set up on his own when the premises became available. Barrett kept the Piccadilly and Albermarle addresses and infact had added premises at 157 - 158 Piccadilly by 1894.

By 1899 his sons had joined the business and they had expanded to 52 & 53 Albermarle St. and 372 Oxford St whilst retaining their Piccadilly addresses. With the exception of Oxford Street, they still had these addresses in 1912. Although Barretts started off, and are primarily listed in the trade directories as Brush Manufacturers, the company expanded and diversified to include trunk making and selling a range of travel equipment. They are known to have retailed silver items made by Henry Cooper & Sons of Birmingham.