Description
Pocket Barometer by Hearn & Harrison of Montreal
Pocket Barometer by Hearn & Harrison of Montreal. A lovely pocket barometer in really fine condition. It is unusual being made in Canada by Hearn & Harrison of Montreal. It seems to be of top quality construction and everything works perfectly. There is a compensating adjustment screw accessible at the back so that you can set the instrument to show the pressure at your home altitude as though you were at sea level. It also functions as an altimeter which was one of the reasons for the popularity of these instruments for the Victorian gentleman. If you were fortunate enough to enjoy a trip in a balloon or other aircraft you would set the outer dial to read zero then have an accurate measure of your altitude throughout the flight. For other earth bound owners you could use the same function to show how high up a mountain you had climbed. I have been known to take it out in the car and find the steepest hill to see how fast I can make the needle move round – I really am easily amused! The case is a little damaged in that it doesn’t clip shut – the metal bar in the lid against which the sprung clasp would fit is missing as is the little button that would have been used to disengage it. It is fine otherwise and good enough cosmetically to show the instrument off on display. The brass casing of the instrument has its original lacquered finish virtually unmarked and the dial also is in beautiful condition as shown in the photos. The barometer itself is 2 inches diameter and just over 1/2 inch thick, the case is approximately 2.5 inches diameter and 1 inch thick.
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