Category: Weather

The RNLI at 200
Aneroid, Barometers, Barometers in Action, History of Aneroid Barometers, Marine, Weather | March 4, 2024
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...
Hysteresis and the Watkin Hicks Mountain Barometer
Aneroid, Barometers, Barometers in Action, History of Aneroid Barometers, How do I repair an aneroid barometer, Is my barometer working, Pressure, Surveying, Technology, Testing Barometers, Vavasseur Antiques - Antique & Vintage Aneroid Barometers, Barographs & Other Scientific Instruments, Weather | August 28, 2023
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
Aneroid, Barographs, Barometers, Conservation, History of Aneroid Barometers, How do I repair an aneroid barometer, Pressure, Restoration, Vavasseur Antiques - Antique & Vintage Aneroid Barometers, Barographs & Other Scientific Instruments, Weather | August 8, 2023
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...
Antique Pocket Hypsometers II - Hicks Hypsometer
Aneroid, Barometers, Barometers in Action, Conservation, History of Aneroid Barometers, How do I repair an aneroid barometer, Is my barometer working, Pressure, Restoration, Testing Barometers, Vavasseur Antiques - Antique & Vintage Aneroid Barometers, Barographs & Other Scientific Instruments, Weather | April 22, 2023
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...
Significant Shipwrecked Mariners Society Award
Aneroid, Barographs, Barometers, Conservation, Featured, History of Aneroid Barometers, Restoration, Vavasseur Antiques - Antique & Vintage Aneroid Barometers, Barographs & Other Scientific Instruments, Weather | April 16, 2023
Significant Shipwrecked Mariners Society Award
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...
Antique Pocket Hypsometers I - French Hypsometer
Aneroid, Barometers, Barometers in Action, Pressure, Technology, Testing Barometers, Vavasseur Antiques - Antique & Vintage Aneroid Barometers, Barographs & Other Scientific Instruments, Weather | April 12, 2023
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
Aneroid, Barographs, Barometers, Bourdon, Conservation, History of Aneroid Barometers, Pressure, Restoration, Vavasseur Antiques - Antique & Vintage Aneroid Barometers, Barographs & Other Scientific Instruments, Weather | March 31, 2023
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
Aneroid, Barographs, Barometers, Barometers in Action, Compasses, Conservation, History of Aneroid Barometers, How do I repair an aneroid barometer, Is my barometer working, Pressure, Restoration, Testing Barometers, Vavasseur Antiques - Antique & Vintage Aneroid Barometers, Barographs & Other Scientific Instruments, Weather | February 16, 2023
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...
Negretti & Zambra Barograph & Thermograph Instructions
Barographs, Barometers in Action, Weather | October 1, 2018
Negretti & Zambra Barograph & Thermograph Instructions
An original Negretti & Zambra leaflet c1910 with directions for setting up self-recording barometers (barographs), thermometers (thermographs), etc
A Moment of Calm in This Hectic World...
Barometers in Action, Weather | April 12, 2018
A Moment of Calm in This Hectic World…
Mark has recently enhanced his test equipment and is now able to film barometers under pressurised conditions. This short clip shows the unusual Casella pocket barometer, made for the Royal Geographical Society c1930, replicating the effect of descending from 25,000ft to 12,000ft – and it only takes 27 seconds!     For more information about the RGS pocket barometer, click…
Weather Forecasting, the Negretti & Zambra Way!
Weather | September 16, 2017
Weather Forecasting, the Negretti & Zambra Way!
A number of years before the BBC started to broadcast shipping forecasts and weather reports in November 1922, Negretti & Zambra patented the ‘weather forecaster’ to allow both professionals and the man in the street to forecast the weather with more than 80% accuracy (the result of 10 years’ research). Negretti & Zambra’s patent –  No. 6276/15 – was applied…
Storm Aileen, 12-13 September 2017
Weather | September 13, 2017
Storm Aileen, 12-13 September 2017
After a period of very settled weather, Storm Aileen heralded the start of Autumn as she passed over last night, peaking at 2.41am, if the extremely strong gust that blew open one of the closed bedroom windows was anything to go by! Luckily window and glass survived the storm, as did the peacock whose usual roost is a tree at…
Operation Weather Rescue: Ben Nevis
Weather | September 10, 2017
Operation Weather Rescue: Ben Nevis
The BBC recently highlighted the project to digitise the metrological measurements taken at an observatory atop Ben Nevis between 1883 and 1904 so that the readings can be used by modern researchers. The article can be read here. Perfect for darker Autumn evenings, I’ve signed up to take part!
Storm Doris, 23 February 2017
Weather | March 1, 2017
Storm Doris, 23 February 2017
One of the benefits of sharing the Vavasseur Antiques office with several beautiful barographs is being able to watch weather patterns being recorded in real-time. The downward trend in pressure followed by the sharp upturn as Storm Doris passed over was particularly well demonstrated on the Short & Mason microbarograph…