A scarce bulkhead mounting The Life-Buoy aneroid marine barometer by Dollond, London c1885

Marine barometer having 4¾” transfer-printed vitreous glass dial, the upper part with standard meteorological terms and general prognostications, the barometric scale calibrated in inches of mercury and with a range from 26”– 31”, divided to 1/20ths”. The dial centre surrounded by a life ring annotated “The Life-Buoy” and further detailed “Trade Mark.” Blued steel pointer, gilt brass index, silvered reflector ring, all set beneath a heavy bevelled glass maintained in a brass bezel.

Conventional high quality Vidie pattern aneroid movement driven from a 2½” capsule tensioned on a C spring. The whole contained within a cast iron drum form case, the verso with calibration port, bulkhead mounting points at 12 and 6 o’clock, calibration port to verso.

Condition: The subject of a full service, conservation, and calibration under laboratory conditions. The movement presenting acceptably accurate readings across the standard barometric range, see performance chart.

The dial clean and damage free save for one hairline crack from the centre to 7 o’clock, only visible under certain light. The graphics with good resolution, the case re-painted, lacquered finish to bezel appearing original.

Comments: Dollond constructed a series of ‘novelty’ barometers, partly as a foil to their immensely successful series of “Shipwrecked Mariners Society” barometers, but primarily as a marketing exercise. A number of versions based on the same movement as found in the Shipwrecked barometers are known, to include “ The Universal” and “The Royal Standard” pattern instruments, both of which must be considered very scarce. “The Life-Buoy” variant is known in two quite distinctly different forms: this cast iron cased and bulkhead mounted barometer and an oak cased variant.

One of the more collectable bulkhead mounting barometers, this particular design being quite scarce.