Edwardian Pocket Barometer & Altimeter with Original Case by Newton & Co, Fleet St, London

An Edwardian brass cased pocket barometer and altimeter with original leather and velvet lined case by Newton & Co, Fleet Street, London.

The barometer has a paper dial with a scale of 17” to 31” of atmospheric pressure. Around the edge are altitude readings and the bezel contains a pointer which may be turned by hand. Most of the fire gilding remains on the body of the barometer.

The case is in reasonably good condition with original Newton & Co silk label and almost untouched velvet case liner. The leather to the outside is somewhat worn and the catch is missing its clip, however it has done its job and protected the instrument very well.

Pocket barometers were manufactured from around the 1860’s and with the addition of an altimeter were otherwise known as “mountain barometers”. Setting the altimeter pointer to the same point as the current atmospheric pressure indicated before a climb would allow a climber to measure the height travelled by measuring the distance between the altimeter setting and the reduced reading on the barometer.

Newton & Co have a long and distinguished history dating back to the start of the eighteenth century, the founder being a cousin of Sir Isaac Newton. Their heyday, however was during Queen Victoria’s reign where from the 1850’s they were situated at their Fleet Street address and continued to trade there until the early part of the twentieth century. They were scientific instrument makers to the Queen and were prize medal winners at the Great Exhibition.

A good pocket barometer in superb condition and by a super maker of scientific instruments. A quality piece.