Dreweatts Donnington Priory Salerooms
Los 171
A fine and rare George III mahogany free-standing mercury pillar barometer. Nairne and Blunt, London, late 18th century, The arched silvered scale fitted to a rotating brass table to allow rotation around the large bore mercury tube, with rack and pinion adjusted vernier and pivoted mirror behind to allow accurate observation of the level beneath signature NAIRNE & BLUNT, LONDON to arch, the fluted column upright with flared capital and moulded base with lift-off front section secured by a clasp formed as a dummy keyhole to reveal interior with mercury tube of smaller diameter packed by cotton wadding, the two stage plinth incorporating up-sliding cover for the sealed boxwood cistern above moulding to waist and double skirt to base, 167cm (67.75ins) high overall. The collaboration between Edward Nairne and his former apprentice Thomas Blunt is recorded in Banfield, Edwin BAROMETER MAKERS AND RETAILERS 1660-1900 as established in 1774 and lasting until 1793. Edward Nairne was born in 1726 and apprenticed to the celebrated instrument maker, Matthew Loft, in 1741. Latterly he worked from 20 Cornhill and published numerous booklets on navigational, pneumatic and astronomical instruments. In 1776 Nairne devised a marine barometer with a restriction to the bore of the mercury tube which served to dampen the oscillation of the mercury, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1776 and died 1806. Thomas Blunt was apprenticed to Edward Nairne in 1760 with whom he formed a loose partnership in 1774, perhaps for mutual convenience as his premises were next door to Nairne`s at 22 Cornhill. Blunt designed some of the components for the `New Barometer` devised by the Portuguese Scientist J.H. Magellan for measuring altitude, and latterly became instrument maker to George III. In 1793 he took his son, also named Thomas, into partnership and subsequently relocated to 136 Minories in 1814, he died in 1822. The current lot is highly unusual as it takes the form of a free-standing pedestal designed to be fixed to the floor with a scale that can be rotated for viewing from any angle, the mirror attached to the rear of the scale enables the level to be sighted precisely. The non-portable and accurate nature of the instrument coupled with a finely executed case suggests that it was probably commissioned for a wealthy patron perhaps for use in a private laboratory.
