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A236-26 · Aneroid
first third of the 20th century
Object Overview
This Square Mahogany-Cased Aneroid Barometer by MOCO (Möller, Oemichen & Co.), produced in the first third of the 20th century, represents a characteristic and readily recognisable example of the German instrument-making tradition of the interwar period, in which engineering rationality is combined with a carefully balanced, restrained aesthetic.
The barometer is housed in a strictly square case made of solid mahogany. The wood has been carefully finished and toned, giving the case a deep, rich warm-brown colour with a soft, silky sheen. The simple, disciplined geometry of the case emphasises the object’s architectural character and reflects the tendency toward ordered, “clean” design typical of German interiors of the 1920s–1930s. At the top of the case, an elegant brass suspension ring of distinctive original form is mounted; it is both functional and decorative, complementing the overall composition without disturbing its visual austerity.
985
aneroid capsule tensioned on a C-spring
brass, glass, nickel silver, steel, wood
The front is fitted with a square brass bezel, precisely seated into the case and retaining a thick mineral glass. The glass features bevelled edges, allowing light to refract gently around the perimeter, creating a subtle sense of depth and underscoring the quality of manufacture.
The dial is made from a metal plate finished in a golden tone, which serves as a warm, contrasting background for the markings. Around the perimeter runs a barometric scale calibrated in millimetres of mercury, spanning a range from 720 to 800 mmHg. The scale is accompanied by standard German textual weather indications: Veränderlich, Regen, Schön, Stürmisch, Beständig. These inscriptions are rendered in a simplified Fraktur style (industrial Fraktur), typical of German technical instruments from the 1910s to the 1930s. This typeface was used not so much as a gesture of tradition, but rather as a visual marker of German identity and cultural affiliation; after 1941, Fraktur was officially abandoned following the so-called Schwabacher-Erlass.
At the lower part of the dial is the MOCO trademark, composed of three cubes bearing the letters M, O, and Co, arranged together in a square configuration. The same logo, in enlarged form, is engraved on the rear of the case on a protective zinc plate that covers the mechanism and simultaneously serves as a clear element of brand identification.
The barometer is powered by a conventional aneroid movement featuring a nickel-silver capsule tensioned against a C-shaped spring. Motion is transmitted from the sensitive element to the pointer arbor by means of a fusee chain—a characteristic and technically elegant solution that ensures smooth, stable indications, while demanding high manufacturing quality and precise adjustment.
Overall, this MOCO barometer stands as a coherent and expressive example of German industrial design from the first third of the 20th century, in which strict geometry, functional logic, and a restrained visual identity come together to form a harmonious and convincing instrument object.