Hg Barometers

Description

Stott, Dumfries. c.1780-90.

An unusual and early form of a mahogany bow front stick barometer with several unusual features, by Stott of Dumfries. The mahogany case with a straight moulded pediment and glazed hood sits above the bow fronted trunk and has an inlaid base with canted corners.

The silvered register plate is well engraved with a scale unusually measuring from 26"-31" of air pressure and signed 'Stott, Dumfries' with a manually operated vernier. Another unusual feature of this barometer is the way in which the vernier is adjusted, rather than sliding the marker up and down by hand (which would need the scale to be exposed or behind a glazed door) or a rack and pinion operated vernier (as is normal for a fixed glazed dial), the vernier is operated by a fixed rod raised and lowered by a small knob on the side of the trunk.

The base of the barometer with canted corners is decorated with an individualistic inlaid flower and satinwood inlaid panels on the canted corners, all very typical of the Sheraton period in the last quarter of the 18th century.

The original tube is concealed within the bow fronted case and fitted with a rare concertina boxwood cistern.
(A bowfront barometer with the same concertina cistern by Stott is illustrated and discussed as an early example in Nicolas Goodison's 'English Barometers 1680-1860' p.71,74 ,Plates 28 & 29).
Height 40".

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