An exceptional, rare, five glass walnut cased Stormoguide barograph by Short & Mason No G21435 retailed by Bright, Scarborough, c1935

Walnut-cased barograph constructed mainly in lacquered brass, 3⅝” free floating recording drum struck with serial no. “4803,” “Made in Baden,” and “Pat.3715.02,” seven day movement, platform escapement and captive winding key. Top cover.

The barometer of standard Short & Mason design raised on four turned pillars over a short fluted pattern chassis, eight cell pressure sensing column, swinging gate recording arm, calibration adjustment to main cross beam. 4½” silvered and die struck barometer dial, the outer sector to be read for rising pressure and annotated in black with various meteorological prognostications, bounding a zone in red for falling pressure and accompanying prognostications, fine blued steel pointer. The centre square-form barometric scale calibrated in inches of mercury with a range from 27.5 – 31”, the upper part marked with “S&M” logogram, the lower part marked “Stormoguide” and “Compensated for Temperature.” The lower dial annotated “International Copyright, Copyright 1932” and “Made in GT. Britain.,”with retailer’s details “Bright, Scarborough” and serial “No G21435.” Ink station with ink bottle, frieze drawer. Lift off cover with bevelled lights.

Condition: This barograph has been the subject of a comprehensive re-build and calibration under laboratory conditions. This includes the refacing of pivots, complete conservation of the case, removal of lights and separation of plinth. The movement entirely dissembled, cleaned and conserved. Re-assembled for optimum performance. The case lacquer with some ultraviolet induced fading, remaining unperished. The instrument otherwise very crisp overall, the metalwork retaining virtually all its original frosted gold lacquer. Dipper cork replaced. Small impression to case rear at case base moulding, small flaw to rear light extending from lower frame and upwards 18mm – this is hard to see and obscured by the drum as viewed from the front. The instrument remains original in all respects, other than mentioned.

Comments: Manufactured in modest numbers and rarely seen, the most desirable of all the Short & Mason recording barometers, the beautifully executed Art Deco dial lending powerful aesthetic appeal, marking this out as a piece strikingly different to others.

This particular instrument has been released from the Vavasseur Archive and offered here for sale.