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Mercurial barometers were invented in the 1640s, but those made earlier than about 1740 are rare indeed. Most of the ones we sell date from the mid-18th to the mid 19th century: they are old enough to be remarkable but not too old to be elegant and appealing. Our barometers are all in working order and in superb condition. Any restoration that has been done has been performed correctly, and the cornices, hands, verniers, thermometers and mercury systems are exactly as they should be for the age and type of barometer. Many of them can be shipped safely and we are happy to deliver others if time and distance allow. Barometers come and go. If you are looking for a specific type, visit the originating site. |
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Georgian bowfront barometers are among the most beautiful and desirable forms developed during the 18th century, and seem to be exclusive to the leading English makers in this period, rather than the emigrant Italian instrument designers and makers.
The trim and black mouldings are solid ebony, and the panel of crotch mahogany down the trunk is of the finest quality. The Roman lettering engraving on the silvered register plates is of the typical 18th century form. The scroll cornice, a style shared with Dollond, Rubergall, and others, is especially graceful with its low scrolls over complex pediment mouldings. The barometer is in very good condition, with the only replacement being the boxwood cistern (not the cistern cover), and two wood screws; an iron hanger plate has been added to the back. The finish has been polished and waxed recently. William Fraser was Mathematical Instrument Maker to King George III and the Prince of Wales, and practiced at 3 New Bond Street, London, until his death in 1815, at which time the firm succeeded to Edward Dixey. No. 1422 * Ca. 1800 * $11,000 |
Classic George III Period mahogany bowfront stick barometer by Fraser
& Son, London
This
barometer, produced by William Fraser and his son during their
partnership, which began in 1799 and ended with the death of the elder
Fraser in 1815, is a superb example. The complexity of the case construction
and decoration indicate that the instrument very likely cost several
times the amount to produce as its simpler brethren and was clearly
intended for a client who could afford and wanted the best.Return to Thumbnails