Barometers Realm

This Non-Numeric Dial Aneroid Barometer, produced around 1960 by the German company MOCO (Möller, Oemichen & Co.), is a characteristic product of the mid-20th century, a period when some manufacturers deliberately moved away from visually “scientific” complexity in favor of a more practical and interior-oriented approach. The barometer is not intended for reading absolute pressure values, but rather for comparison and observation of change. For everyday users, numbers alone convey little meaning: a numerical pressure value does not, by itself, provide a weather forecast. What truly matters is the direction and dynamics of atmospheric pressure change—whether the pressure is rising or falling, and how quickly this occurs. It is this trend that allows one to anticipate upcoming weather conditions. MOCO aimed to create an instrument that could be “read at a distance,” intuitive to use, and aesthetically neutral.

The case is made of fumed beech, radially sawn and turned on a lathe into a low, solid disc with a softly rounded profile. The radial cut accentuates the natural grain of the wood, forming distinctive wave-like arcs around the entire circumference of the case. This technique is not merely decorative but also contributes to structural stability. The wooden surface has been carefully smoothed and impregnated, giving the case a deep, rich brown tone with a matte, silky sheen—an approach typical of mid-20th-century German instruments designed with a restrained, almost architectural aesthetic in mind.

Structurally, the case incorporates an unusual and highly thoughtful feature: the dial is not mounted directly onto the wooden body but is instead positioned on a forward-projecting metal platform, offset from the main case by approximately 4–5 mm. This internal supporting structure serves both as the base for the dial and as the seating for the bezel. Such a solution ensures the correct operation of the thermometer integrated into the dial and, crucially, allows for its manual calibration via a small adjustment lever that remains freely accessible.

The dial itself is made of silvered brass and is designed with deliberate restraint. In place of a conventional numerical barometric scale, it features a concentric scale composed of evenly spaced tick marks, visually reminiscent of a clock face. Rather than indicating precise pressure values, this scale defines the relative position of the pointer within a range. The extremes of this range are marked with the inscriptions TIEF and HOCH (low and high pressure), between which the entire interpretive logic of the instrument unfolds. Here, the emphasis is not on numbers but on trend and position within the interval. This approach underscores the intuitive nature of the barometer and its focus on observing weather changes rather than performing exact calculations.

At the lower portion of the dial is the temperature scale of a bimetallic thermometer, calibrated in degrees Celsius. The dial is protected by a domed mineral glass set into an exceptionally thin brass bezel, lending the instrument a sense of visual lightness while reinforcing its restrained elegance.

The barometer is driven by a conventional movement employing an aneroid capsule tensioned against a U-shaped flat spring. Motion is transmitted from the lever system to the pointer arbor via a simple anchor-link chain.

Overall, this barometer stands as a compelling example of rational, carefully considered instrument design, in which engineering logic, functional clarity, and disciplined aesthetics form a cohesive whole. It clearly illustrates the transition from decorative excess toward a lucid, almost architectural form—an approach emblematic of the 20th-century German tradition in precision instrument making.