Barometers Realm

This barometer is part of the private collection of our friend and fellow collector Michael Böttcher (Germany). All photographs were kindly provided by him.

Before us is a Tabletop Aneroid Barometer, manufactured by the London firm Casella and dated to approximately circa 1860 — a period when aneroid mechanisms were already confidently displacing mercury instruments in compact decorative devices.

The instrument is executed in a sculptural composition characteristic of the mid-19th century, where the measuring device is integrated into an artistic object. The case takes the form of a cast figure of a dog (most likely a greyhound), mounted on an oval base. The material is patinated metal (most commonly bronze or cast iron with a finished surface), with carefully modelled anatomy: the elongated body, tense musculature, and the characteristic curve of the neck convey a strong sense of movement.

In Victorian decorative culture, the dog serves as a symbol of: -attentiveness and sensitivity (a direct allusion to the “sensitivity” of the barometer), -loyalty and constancy (associated with the idea of regular observation), as well as the period’s fascination with naturalistic forms in applied art.

Thus, the instrument functions not merely as a measuring device, but as a synthesis of science and decorative art, typical of the Victorian interior.

The dial is made of cardboard, which is characteristic of mid-range aneroid barometers. It is mounted within a reflective ring of silvered brass, enhancing the legibility of the scale through a light-reflecting effect.

The barometric scale is calibrated in London inches of mercury (inHg), with each inch divided into 50 graduations (lines) — a high-precision standard for domestic aneroids. The scale is provided with detailed textual weather indications, reflecting the tradition of interpreting pressure in terms of forecast.

In the lower part of the dial is a curved mercury thermometer with a characteristic bulb reservoir, formed as an arc. The thermometer scale is calibrated in degrees Fahrenheit.

The operation of the instrument is ensured by a conventional aneroid mechanism, in which the sensitive element is a brass aneroid capsule tensioned against a C-shaped steel spring; the transmission of motion to the pointer arbor is effected by means of a fusee chain.

This barometer represents a characteristic example of a Victorian scientific object transformed into a work of art. The combination of a precise aneroid mechanism, a finely detailed cardboard dial, and an expressive sculptural composition makes it not only a functional instrument, but also a полноценный element of interior decoration.

Works of the level of Casella from this period demonstrate the transition from purely utilitarian measuring devices to objects in which science, technology, and aesthetics are united into a single form, reflecting the spirit of the age.