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Object Overview
The thunder glass, also known as the Thunder bottle, Cape Cod barometer, Goethe glass, and Donderglas (in the Netherlands), was crafted by the artisans of the Swedish glass factory Skruf in the mid-20th century. Skruf glassworks, founded in 1897 in the south of Sweden, gained fame as one of the leading producers of handmade artistic glass, and this barometer stands as a living testament to the craftsmanship developed over a century.
The barometer impresses with its crystal clarity and delicate hand-painted decoration. Its surface, as if brought to life by the hands of artisans, is adorned with intricate, colorful floral motifs that dance upon the glass, creating the illusion of nature captured in a moment. These motifs, refined and detailed, seem to reflect the constant motion of the atmosphere itself — wind, rain, and sunlight. The vibrant colors breathe life into the glass, reminding us that although this instrument is designed to measure pressure, it remains an object of aesthetic admiration.
The barometer’s special magic is enhanced by the liquid inside — distilled water tinted with methylene blue. This deep shade, resembling the depths of the ocean, shimmers within the vessel, creating an almost hypnotic effect. The blue water evokes distant seas and lakes, conveying the feeling that the barometer is connected to nature itself. The hue of the water changes with the lighting, playing and shimmering, adding mystery and depth to the instrument.
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The defining feature of this thunder glass is its elegant spout, a slender tube through which the water level rises and falls. The spout extends above the main reservoir, and the current water level within it, slightly higher than the level in the reservoir, indicates a slight drop in atmospheric pressure. This subtle change is so delicate that it feels as though the air itself is whispering about the coming changes. When the liquid levels in the spout and reservoir align, the instrument corresponds to the traditional state of “Change.” This barometer transforms the measurement of atmospheric pressure into a poetic tableau, where each ripple of water becomes a symbol of changing weather.