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Object Overview
This late 19th-century wall barometer, "Spirit of Progress", by the renowned French horologist Antoine Redier, is deeply infused with the themes of enlightenment and knowledge. The substantial case is cast in a zinc alloy (probably spelter) and patinated to resemble aged bronze.
The base is designed as an architectural element reminiscent of a Corinthian capital, emphasizing classical stability and a rooted connection to antiquity.
At the center stands a female figure—an allegorical representation of progress, light, knowledge, and technology. Her wings symbolize elevation, inspiration, and the striving for higher understanding—or in the context of the machine age, the ascent of thought and technical advancement. She holds a large bowl aloft, which frames the barometer itself. This gesture recalls classical imagery of figures bearing the flame of knowledge or the gift of insight.
The barometer, set within this symbolic vessel, is housed in a cylindrical brass case with a paper dial calibrated in centimeters of mercury. The barometric scale runs concentrically around the dial and is annotated with seven standard French weather terms. At the base of the dial is the distinctive maker’s mark: .
n/a
Redier
brass, cardboard, glass, iron
A particularly interesting feature of this instrument is its bezel. Drawing on his expertise as a watchmaker, Redier employed a hinged brass bezel fitted with flat glass. While this design allows the bezel and crystal to be opened and the dial directly accessed, this serves little practical function in a barometer context.
A second, smaller hinged bezel is located at the back of the bowl, providing access to the adjustment screw used to calibrate the barometer’s readings.
At the heart of the mechanism lies a hallmark of Redier’s engineering: a wide aneroid chamber with an internal spring, coupled with a gear-and-rack transmission system that translates the chamber’s movements into precise dial readings.
This barometer is notably heavy and imposing, measuring 60 cm in height, with a dial diameter of 13 cm.