Barometers Realm

This pocket nickel-plated barometer, dating to around 1910, was produced by the renowned French manufacturer Richard Frères, the country’s leading maker of precision instruments, and made for another distinguished Parisian firm, Massiot & Cie. The instrument is elegantly shaped, housed in a nickel-plated German silver case. Both the back rim and the bezel feature a fine engine-turned knurled pattern, while the rotating bezel carries a non-linear altitude scale in meters, ranging up to 4500.

The open silvered brass dial is designed in an uncommon form — a twin-arched or biforate opening, reminiscent of a biforium window, revealing the aneroid mechanism beneath. The concentric barometric scale, graduated in centimeters of mercury from 46 to 80, bears two engraved weather indications in uppercase letters, separated by a bi-directional pointer.

The movement operates on a rack-and-pinion mechanism in brass, with the aneroid capsule tensioned by an external coil spring, an arrangement rarely found in rack-driven instruments. The main lever holding the spring is positioned on the left side of the movement. The overall construction is of excellent quality, with all components mounted on a solid metal base plate.

The indicator hand, made of blued brass, features a crescent-shaped tail, while its tip is slightly raised to sweep across the altitude scale. The barometer is housed in a folding wooden case covered in leather, lined inside with green velvet and silk, and equipped with a suspension ring for carrying.

Gracefully combining refined aesthetics with mechanical precision, this instrument exemplifies the craftsmanship and collaborative tradition of early twentieth-century French barometer making, uniting the expertise of Richard Frères and Massiot & Cie in a single, elegant creation.