Barometers Realm

Pocket Barometer with Thermometer, circa 1890, housed in an elegant gilt brass case fitted with a small suspension ring. For a secure grip in the hand, the barometer features a finely knurled edge, mirrored by a similar ring on the rotating bezel that protects the dial and carries a non-linear altitude scale. The revolving altitude scale bears graduations up to 4,500 meters with subdivisions of 20 meters. The scale is engraved on a rotating ring and used by aligning the zero point with the initial reading of the index hand.

The silvered brass dial has a stepped construction designed to accommodate the thermometer. The concentric barometric scale, located on the narrow upper level, is graduated in centimeters of mercury and ranges from 46 to 80 cm. A distinctive feature of this instrument is the absence of standard weather indications, suggesting that it was primarily intended for use as an altimetric barometer.

At the center of the dial, set into a recessed section, lies a horseshoe-shaped mercury thermometer with a centigrade scale ranging from 0 to 40 degrees. The index hand, made of blued steel, is shaped like a fine needle with an elegant circular counterpoise.

The movement operates on the rack-and-pinion principle, with a sensitive aneroid capsule tensioned by an external coiled spring held in place by a steel lever.

This refined instrument exemplifies the precision craftsmanship of late 19th-century portable barometers, combining functional sophistication with a graceful aesthetic balance.