A good scarce early pattern RNLI Fishermans Aneroid Barometer by Short & Mason for Dollond, London No 1876 c1885

RNLI marine barometer having 4¾” vitreous glass printed and hand illuminated dial, the barometric scale calibrated in inches of mercury with a range from 26”–31” and divided down to 1/20th”, the upper portion marked with basic forecasting instructions, “Barometer Falls for Warm, Wet, Or More Wind,” “Rises for Cold, Dry, Or Less Wind,” and “Fishermans Aneroid Barometer.” The lower portion marked “Issued by the Royal National Life Boat Institution,” with serial “No 1876,” and signed by the supplier, “Dollond, London.” Blued steel pointer, gilt brass index, silvered reflector ring, all set beneath heavy bevelled glass held in an oxidised and lacquered brass bezel.

Conventional wood block mounted Vidie pattern 1st quality movement driven from a single 2⅞” capsule tensioned on a C spring. The whole contained within a bronzed zinc drum form case, bulkhead fixings at 12 and 6 o’clock. The verso with calibration port.

Condition: The subject of a full service, conservation, and calibration under laboratory conditions, see performance chart from dynamic test. The movement working well and consistent with its age – this essentially means a reduction in accuracy at the lower and higher ends of registration.

The dial about perfect with unusually high density to illuminations and generally. The case damage free though showing generally the effects of sea air and salt water. The glass almost perfect, the case retaining much of its original bronzed finish. 

Comments: It had been considered that Dollond was both manufacturer and supplier of these instruments. It would appear that although they may well have been the makers of the first few hundred or even a thousand of these instruments, at some point manufacture was passed over to Short & Mason – this is the first RNLI instrument observed that shows compelling evidence to S&M manufacture. The mounting plates, soldered into the case at 12 and 6 o’clock, are both struck with “S&M” logograms.

For those interested in the history of these instruments, this is a fascinating instrument, not only for its association but also for its manufacture. The combination of one maker and a different supplier was widely found, not only in these instruments but of all types – “white labelling” is a practice widely carried out today. It should be noted that Short & Mason produced some of the finest meteorological instruments ever constructed.

Now very hard to find in original condition, particularly those made – and/or retailed by Dollond, these RNLI marine barometers are one of the most popular and collectable of all aneroid barometers.