Bourdon barometer having 3¾” diameter tube acting via twin links upon a quadrant with fine toothed rack engaged with a slipping pinion at the foot of the arbor. Key controlled interrupter blade. The whole raised over a beam chassis with serial no. “45028” and Jules Richard monogram. Blued screws. Blued steel pointer. Contained with a concave silvered reflector bowl and set beneath a bevelled glass, reversed transfer printed barometric scale calibrated in inches of mercury with a range from 28 – 31 divided to 10ths of an inch. Standard meteorological terms. Gilt brass index. Lacquered brass bezel.

The mercurial thermometer set on a convex white enamelled brass register, twin scales calibrated in degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit with ranges -20 to 55 and 0 to 130 respectively.

All fitted into an ebonised frame with detailed floral designs set in relief.

Condition: The subject of a major overhaul, serviced and tested under laboratory conditions, see performance chart below. Very crisp overall, the bezel re-lacquered, the barometer retaining virtually all its original finish, the reflector bowl with good silvering. The ebonised case with minor losses to some high points but retaining good depth of colour. The thermometer working well, the register with minor crazing to top. Other than the bezel finish, which has been accurately re-created, the instrument remains in very original condition.

Comments: Bourdon barometers might be considered scarce, even rare. This example is very unusual – with its distinctly continental overtones, it is likely that in view of the units of pressure, inches, that relatively few of this pattern were supplied and as such this is a very unusual pattern. The aesthetic qualities speak for themselves: the carving in particular is of obvious quality, being well balanced and executed with a higher degree of precision than usually found in these instruments. Not to everyone’s taste, but to those who appreciate the colours and tonal contrasts, complimented by the design, the allure of this piece is obvious.

Very much a collector’s and connoisseur’s lot.