Updates & Items of Interest
The Perfect Gift for the Wise Man – or Wise Woman – in Your Life
Whether following a star, your heart, or a new career path, an antique compass makes a truly meaningful gift. It’s a reminder that, wherever life leads, there’s always a direction home. Beautifully crafted, these remarkable instruments — some nearly two centuries old — are both decorative treasures and practical tools. Our collection spans everything from delicate gold and silver compass...
July Work in Progress – The Smaller Negretti & Zambra Weather Station
Weather Stations - those imposing combinations of clocks, aneroid barometers and barographs - are days of work on the bench. On Saturday 19 July I took the plunge and, a week later, the principal is more or less completed. The clock is with my horologist although I have overhauled these movements before. This is, for want of a better description,...
Significant Shipwrecked Mariners Society Award – Updated March 2025
Generally when these instruments are given as presentations it’s to a retired partner from a law firm or the winner of some golfing extravaganza - these additions add nothing to the value or interest in the piece, indeed in most instances the plates are removed, the holes filled and a part of ignominious history gently forgotten. The Shipwrecked Fishermen and...
Extraordinary Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society Marine Barometer
An update to our recent blog about the unusual cases in which marine barometers from The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society, better known as the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, are found. As previously posted, The Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society gave many awards and prizes for heroic endeavours over the years, generally as medals but also in...
Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society Marine Barometers in Unusual Cases
The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society, better known as the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, was established by John Rye in February 1839 as a result of the tragic loss of a fleet of fishing boats on the north Devon coast in October 1838. The Society’s objectives were to give “relief and assistance to the widows and orphans of fishermen;...
On This Day – 8th August 1908 – Wilbur Wright
On this day in 1908, Wilbur Wright publicly demonstrated a Wright aircraft for the first time in Europe at the Hunaudières racecourse at Le Mans, southwest of Paris. The airplane was an improved version of the brothers’ experimental designs flown in 1903-1905. Wilbur’s flights at Le Mans confirmed without doubt the Wrights’ claims to have developed a successful airplane and...
Very Unusual French Hybrid Aneroid Barometer c1858
An unusual French hybrid brass open dial aneroid barometer no. 2, maker unknown c1858. Early aneroid barometer having 4¾” zinc backed printed open centre card dial with weather prognostications to outer part, the barometric scale calibrated in cms Hg, marked “Baromètre” at 6 o’clock. The open centre with a hair spring tensioned rack and pinion drive assembled onto a lacquered brass...
The RNLI at 200
A national lifeboat service was the vision of Sir William Hillary, a resident of the Isle of Man, who wanted to the reduce the death toll from the 1,800 shipwrecks annually around the British Isles at the time. He convinced a group of influential people in the City of London to take notice and the Royal National Institution for the...
Mark and Vavasseur Antiques Featured in Country Life!
Credit: Country Life, 27 September 2023 Issue www.countrylife.co.uk
Hysteresis and the Watkin Hicks Mountain Barometer
This scarce development of the aneroid barometer or altimeter, patented by Colonel H.S.S. Watkin in 1898, was born of poorly performing pressure sensing capsules. It had been known for some time that a first reading before an ascent of some high place would not agree once the observer returned to the same elevation even if the barometric pressure had not...
August Work in Progress
Another fine instrument of particular interest, this large barograph is something quite special, and although unsigned, is undoubtedly the work of Negretti & Zambra. Let’s examine the evidence for this. First, the instrument is listed in the Negretti & Zambra catalogue of 1910 in the section Self-Recording Aneroid Barometers: item 82, a “Self-Recording Barometer, with a tall cylinder taking a...
The Quest for Greater Resolution in Aneroid Barometers II
As a follow up to Patent No. 2457 lodged by Daniels, this piece is certainly of significance. The Daniels instruments sought to display greater resolution with the introduction of a geared sub-assembly greatly magnifying the small rotational movement of the primary arbor, that connected by a fine chain to the secondary lever - the result being that the main dial...
Two Extraordinary Altimeters, and the Trail to the British Nuclear Bomb
Sometimes the most obscure and almost unrecognisable objects appear, and with all the interest in Christopher Nolan’s epic docu-thriller Oppenheimer, I decided to put pen to paper. Some years ago I was perusing an online auction and came across an instrument I recognised as a barometer or altimeter made by Negretti & Zambra. Puzzling, though, was the scale, calibrated in...
The Quest for Greater Resolution in Aneroid Barometers I
As marvellous an invention as the aneroid barometer was, it had many shortcomings, most of which were approached by various instrument makers over the 100 years or so of production. Resolution, perhaps expressed as the reading to the highest number of decimal places, was an illusive goal. The problem relates to the expansion and contraction of the cell over a...
Conservation & Restoration Services
Barometer repairs or restoration services? We undertake barometer and barograph repairs, restoration and servicing at reasonable rates. We handle aneroid and mercury barometers, barographs, and other scientific instruments. “I had two early instruments which were ‘showing their age’ and needed rejuvenating without losing any of their original looks. The team at Vavasseur would appear to live and breathe pocket instruments and I would recommend...
Antique Pocket Hypsometers II – Hicks Hypsometer
A very rare leather cased, lacquered and oxidised brass hypsometer No 590 by J. Hicks, London, c1900 Comprising four draw telescopic top section, the third draw marked "J. Hicks, Maker, 8, 9, & 10 Hatton Garden, London, No 590," first draw with heat shroud. Spirit burner with integral pushfit end cap, threaded wick cover, wind and flame shroud with lower...
New Test Control Unit in Laboratory
An addition and a development of the Calibration & Flow Control Unit Mk1 The lack of availability of this equipment commercially left me with no alternative other than to design and build in-house. In any event I had my own ideas and requirements. This control unit manages a number of parameters in a readily visual way leaving aside the need...
Antique Pocket Hypsometers I – French Hypsometer
The term 'Hypsometer' is essentially applied to a device or system, perhaps mathematically based, that enables the determination of heights or elevations. It has been applied to aneroids and various trigonometrically based instruments. In this instance we are dealing with the instrument more generally recognised as a hypsometer, in essence a device not unlike a telescope however lacking lenses, the...
March Work in Progress
Another fascinating instrument from the storeroom, and at last I can give it the attention it needs. This Negretti & Zambra barothermograph was absolutely filthy, caked in dust and grime, and working to a point but not much more. Nonetheless, I could see that this would come good with careful conservation techniques. I always start a project like this by...
February Work in Progress
Many might wonder what might be next on Vavasseur Antiques. “Work in progress” is a constant state, since almost all the items we offer are comprehensively re-built, serviced, and/or benefit from conservation. Consequently through-put is sometimes slow. This does mean though that the things we offer are ‘proper,’ as described, and as original as possible, not the product of the...
About Vavasseur Antiques
INTRODUCTION – Mark Jarrold
My formative years instilled in me a great interest in antiques, living in old houses full of the old, the very old and the curious…and that was just the people! Many of the items I marvelled at, and came to appreciate for what they were and are – a few were quite beyond my comprehension. To be surrounded by items of beauty, interest and association is great privilege indeed. I don’t believe in the term expert since it tends to convey an impression of perfect knowledge. We all learn a little more all the time, given application, and occasionally there may be a ‘eureka’ moment. Analysis of the more interesting pieces is completely compelling: the discovery of a name, a date, a variation in design or pattern is always a draw. One learns something of social demography, engineering and science, sometimes all in one hit. Unfortunately, I am old enough (just) to remember the first electronic calculator, the Sinclair Scientific. The impact these new devices had upon so many disciplines cannot be overstated – so, in the mid-19th century, had the aneroid barometer. A barometer that was without mercury, was light, portable and very accurate: it was the ‘had-to-have’ thing.
PHILOSOPHY
Most instruments that are antique require a little work, some a lot more. The essence here is to sympathetically conserve or restore and/or properly correct any defects. To introduce new parts or to re-finish a component or case is always a difficult question. Very careful consideration has to be given before any work is conducted. Conserving originality is always the prime objective, but if an aspect of the object has deteriorated to a point where it may be prejudicial to its long term survival, or has become so objectionable as to betray its original form, then there is the option to re-finish. In any event, it must be in absolute keeping and in almost all cases traditional materials and methods are employed. Many of the instruments I see have been in attics or spare rooms, neglected or simply forgotten. Years of grime and dirt, oxidation of silvered dials and other vagaries of time can, in most cases, be removed with careful conservation and no re-finishing. It is these instruments that always yield the best result as the original finish, texture, colour and appropriate patination are retained. To lose any of these is disaster, so it is very careful and painstaking work. Many of these items will also attract hours of research – this is part of the passion, holding in the hand a piece of history and the story it can convey. Changes to an item, e.g. re-silvering of a dial, and other conservation or restoration work will be detailed.
Primarily I buy for the collector, with a collector’s eye. My service to you is to filter out the less than worthy, and to supply the really good things in the condition and of a type you will want to own. Finding these things is not easy – many hours of searching, negotiating and conservation work may lie behind the items you see here.
Descriptions are intended to be objective and I strive for accuracy on all points. Dates are sometimes very hard to establish and often an approximation is given; where a date is stated precisely it will be based on good corroborative evidence. Many instruments may bear a name on a dial or part, but it should be borne in mind that this does not necessarily indicate the maker – it may just be the retailer or another agent and best efforts are made to make that differentiation. Barographs are a good example: the two most highly-respected manufacturers of these beautiful and functional instruments in the early 20th centuries were Negretti & Zambra and Short & Mason – many instruments are found with the names of opticians on the chassis or case or upon the dial, but the majority owe their origins to these two makers. However, even in the event that an item may bear the name of an established maker it does not necessarily mean that it was made by him. I have come across Short & Mason barographs with barometers that have “Negretti & Zambra” engraved on the dial.
There is little doubt that, with the huge shift in demographics and social attitudes, many antiques generally that once commanded eye-watering prices have probably had their day. Technology, though, is a field that is very much more readily understood and may easily be better appreciated. As things stand the market substantially undervalues many of these items but without doubt the fields of science, invention and manufacturing are set to make progressive gains in a widening market, and demand for the finest quality items will not only continue but strengthen.
On these pages I have a range of objects: many are commentators upon technological and scientific advancement, are made by some of the world’s finest craftsmen in their art, and have useful, practical function – and all combined with wonderful aesthetics. You will also find selected pieces of porcelain and furniture dating from the same era that have been chosen similarly for their beauty, rarity and condition.
APPROVAL
We hope that the items shown on this site will be of interest – you might even choose to own one or two, or more. Acquiring any item without the benefit of an inspection implies a responsibility by the vendor to accurately and fully describe it. We seek to do just that, whilst also bringing to each item and its description a rather more personal and subjective commentary based on many years of experience, appreciation and research.
Any acquisition is on an approval basis and the purchased item may be returned within fourteen days from receipt. Please refer to the Orders & Returns page for more information.
