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conventional movement tensioned on a C-spring
brass, carved wood, glass, iron, nickel silver, silvered brass
This Marine-Style Aneroid Barometer, signed by the Hamburg company W. Campbell & Co. Nachfolger—a firm with a distinguished and long-standing history—dates to around 1930. It is housed in a solid oak case richly carved in the form of a twisted rope, a popular motif that lends the instrument both a nautical and decorative character. The fine craftsmanship emphasizes the natural grain of the oak, whose warm tone harmonizes elegantly with the lustre of the metal fittings.
In older oak-cased barometers, the recess for the movement was often lined with metal, as in this example (Figure №6). This served as protection against corrosion, since oak contains tannins, and the vapours emitted by the wood over time can chemically affect and damage metal parts.
The dial is framed by a smooth brass bezel with a gentle golden hue, fitted with faceted mineral glass. At the centre of the glass is a finely reeded brass knob, used to adjust the secondary pointer indicating the pressure trend.
The dial itself is made of silvered brass, bearing a large decorative pattern produced by chemical etching, with subtle variations in line that give the design the appearance of hand craftsmanship. The etched ornament forms an elaborate rosette of concentric circles interlaced with arches and stylized petals; at its centre lies a floral medallion with radiating relief, enclosed within a delicate pattern in the spirit of German Neo-Renaissance design.
Around the outer perimeter runs the barometric scale, calibrated in centimetres of mercury from 65 to 80 cm. Inside the scale are elegant German weather indications, engraved in an ornate serif typeface. The initial letters of each word are picked out in red, giving the composition a refined visual rhythm. The alternating red-and-black lettering adds depth and grace to the dial’s typographic balance.
The barometer’s operation is based on a movement characteristic of Short & Mason, several components of which—including half of the aneroid capsule—bear an anti-corrosion finish. The surface of these parts has a subtle texture and a deep, velvety black tone produced by chemical blackening (controlled oxidation of steel forming a stable film of iron oxide, Fe₃O₄). This finish protected the mechanism from rust, reduced internal reflections, and imparted a precise, laboratory aesthetic.
The sensitive aneroid capsule is made of nickel silver and mounted on a C-shaped steel spring. The main lever incorporates temperature compensation and is connected via a linkage to a bell-crank lever with a horizontal axis and pivots at both ends. The long (vertical) arm of this bell-crank is joined by a fusee-type chain to the pointer arbor, transmitting the motion to the indicating hand.
