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M016 · Mercury
1890-1910
Object Overview
Fitzroy Barometer dating from 1890 to 1910, encased in an elegant Oxford-style frame, featuring all the distinctive elements characteristic of these functional instruments. This barometer reflects a time when scientific discoveries were becoming accessible and understandable to the broader public. Its confident and dignified appearance exudes the grandeur of an era when weather forecasting began to play a vital role in daily life.
The barometer’s case, made from sturdy oak, adds solidity to the instrument, as if it carries the weight of centuries. Oak was chosen for its durability and density, perfectly suited to protect a vital scientific tool. The glass panel at the front acts like a showcase, allowing observation of the instrument while shielding it from direct contact. This glass creates a barrier between past and present, safeguarding the barometer's mechanisms and visual elements from time.
Inside the case, yellowed paper adds an antique charm, similar to that of an old book or map. The scale, marked in London inches of mercury, reflects its British origins. However, the true essence of the Fitzroy barometer lies in the 'Fitzroy instructions,' which explain how weather conditions relate to changes in pressure. These texts, printed in small but clear font, immerse the reader in a world where weather predictions were based on practical observations of natural phenomena. Comprehensive weather comments make the barometer not just a tool but a guide to understanding atmospheric dynamics.
n/a
sifon
glass, paper, wood
A wide siphon tube is the centerpiece of the scale, a crucial element for providing accurate pressure readings. Its elegant glass bottle adds grace to the design. The bottle's slender silhouette gives the barometer an air of alchemy, as though it were not just a scientific device but a tool for unlocking nature's hidden laws.
The Fitzroy Barometer is a carefully designed instrument, complemented by several accessories, each of which not only serves a functional purpose but also enhances the visual appeal of the barometer. One such accessory is the alcohol thermometer located at the lower right of the frame.
The thermometer, crafted in a classic style, features a glass tube with a large bulb filled with colored alcohol at its base. This bulb, resembling a drop of sunlight, casts a yellowish glow that harmonizes with the warm tones of the oak frame. The transparent glass tube, through which a thin column of liquid flows, appears both delicate and precise, symbolizing the capricious and constantly changing natural conditions the barometer seeks to measure.
The thermometer is mounted on a wooden base made of boxwood — a dense, refined material that complements the overall aesthetic of the instrument. The smooth and warm-toned boxwood base adds a sense of natural harmony to the barometer. On this base, a Fahrenheit scale is carefully etched, demonstrating the attention to detail and the desire to combine precision with beauty. The scale is accompanied by text-based temperature indicators, ensuring clarity in readings.
To the left of the frame, at the same level, lies the so-called 'Mountain Scale' — an altitude scale for measuring atmospheric pressure. This adds another layer of symbolic and scientific depth to the instrument. This narrow strip of paper, neatly attached to the frame, visually educates the viewer on how atmospheric pressure changes with altitude. The scale is not only decorative but also serves a crucial informational purpose, demonstrating how air pressure decreases as elevation increases.
The mountain scale, adorned with depictions of mountain ranges, serves as a sort of map of atmospheric layers. It leads the eye from sea level, where mercury pressure is highest, up to the limits of the stratosphere, where air becomes thin and barometric readings drop significantly. Each level on this paper strip is marked with precise mercury pressure readings in inches, allowing users to correlate sea-level altitude in miles with changes in atmospheric pressure.
At the top of the Fitzroy Barometer, on either side of the barometric scale, are Admiral Fitzroy's instructions for wind direction, wind force, and precipitation likelihood, based on rising or falling atmospheric pressure. To use them, you need to determine the wind's direction and observe the mercury column for pressure changes. This data can then be compared, using one of the two columns (for rising or falling pressure), to find the relevant letters indicating wind strength or reduction and whether precipitation is expected.
Additional guidance for forecasting weather is available via standard text weather indicators, though Fitzroy's instructions are considered a much more reliable method. The Fitzroy Barometer becomes more than just a forecasting tool — it serves as a guide to atmospheric phenomena.
As a piece of functional art, the Fitzroy Barometer does more than measure atmospheric pressure — it allows users to compare current weather conditions with those of the previous day. This unique feature turns the barometer into a logbook of weather changes, where daily atmospheric readings can be recorded and tracked. For this purpose, the barometer is equipped with two inscriptions on either side of the scale: on the left side, 'set yesterday' and on the right, 'set today.' These markers make the process of observing the weather clearer and easier to understand.
Key to this feature are the brass pointer markers, which allow users to accurately record pressure readings on the scale. The pointer adjustment mechanism is well thought out: small brass handles are positioned on the outside of the frame for controlling the markers. These handles enable smooth and precise movement of the markers across the scale, fixing the necessary readings. Sliding pins built into the side walls of the frame create a reliable, easy-to-use mechanism that ensures effortless marker adjustment while providing a satisfying tactile experience. The brass markers, crafted with the era’s characteristic mastery, add elegance and a sense of precision to the instrument. Their golden gleam stands out against the darkened paper and glass, reminding us that even the simplest elements can be executed with grace.
In addition to Fitzroy’s guidelines for predicting the weather, the barometer named in his honor is rich in text. These include meteorological observations from the Admiral himself. His rules for predicting the weather, both for rising and falling pressure, are listed in a meticulous order. There are also descriptions of the barometer as an instrument, along with traditional weather proverbs, such as 'Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.' Finally, each instrument comes with its own weather-related rhymes, such as: 'Long foretold, long last; Short notice, soon past,' or: 'First rise after very low, foretells a stronger blow.' Among the many instructions, scales, and pointers, the last characteristic element of this highly informative Fitzroy Barometer is the mysterious storm glass, located alongside and partially overlapping the mountain scale. This narrow, 2-2.5 centimeter sealed glass vial, about 25 centimeters long, is held in place by brass clamps. But do not be fooled by its humble appearance. In this tiny vessel lies a mystical power of weather prediction.юю