A good presentation Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariners Royal Benevolent Society Marine Aneroid Barometer No 4004 by Dollond, London to T. Huntington, Liverpool c1937

Marine barometer having 4¾” applied white ground, black printed and red illuminated dial, the upper part with semi circular barometric scale calibrated in inches of mercury divided to 1/20th, prognostications for falling and rising pressure, further marked “Marine Aneroid Brometer, Made by Dollond, London” and “No. 4004.” The lower part bearing the inscription “The Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariners Royal Benevolent Society,” the Society’s address “Carlton House, Regent St, London S.W1.,” and SFMS within flying flag logo, Royal cypher to centre and illuminated cross in red. Japanned alloy pointer, red illuminated index, bevelled glass and lacquered brass bezel.

Conventional Vidie pattern anti-corrosion grey painted movement by Short & Mason driven from a single 2⅞” capsule tensioned on a C spring, the chassis struck with Short & Mason “S&M” logogram. All mounted within a cylindrical japanned shroud having leaf spring stand offs to a turned and lacquered oak open backed case retained on four bezel retaining screws. The lower part of the oak case with semi circular brass plaque bearing the inscription “Presented to T. Huntington Esq, Honorary Agent at Liverpool in Recognition of Valuable Services 1914-1937.” Bulkhead mountings at 12 and 6 o’clock, calibration port with dust blind.

Condition: The subject of a full service, conservation, and calibration under laboratory conditions. The movement working exceptionally well with maximum noted error less than 1/10th” across the full range.

The dial about excellent, some minor ageing at periphery, the graphics clear and well defined. The oak case with some losses to lacquer and signs of ageing.

Comments: It is thought that most of these Shipwrecked Mariners instruments were gifts or presentations. Very few are detailed specifically to their recipients, and those that are noted were generally presented for rescues made at sea by mariners, or for long service as lifeboat coxswains or Honorary Agents of the Society.

Though dating from 1937, a later presentation, this instrument holds all of the significance of those that were of earlier issue, the almost full 180° plaque considerably enhancing the aesthetic appearance and historical interest of the piece. This oak case was manufactured specifically for the attachment of such a plaque, a characteristic that is very infrequently seen.

The construction is a departure from earlier instruments where movements were attached with three screws to the closed back of the case, dials were rested on the rim of the oak case, and the glasses securely fitted into the bezels with threaded pins attached to the bezel extending through the verso and secured on correspondingly threaded ferrules. This instrument relies entirely on the four bezel securing screws which maintain the movement fitted within a leaf sprung shroud against the oak case, reflector ring and loose glass. The verso is open.

An attractive and historically interesting instrument.