Late Victorian Aneroid Barometer with Eight Inch Dial by Guilbert & Cie Paris

For sale, a late Victorian aneroid barometer with eight inch dial by Guilbert & Cie, Paris.

The barometer is comprised of an eight inch silvered dial measuring 25 to 31 inches of barometric pressure with weather indications engraved to the inner circumference of the scale. The central section has superb rose turned detailing with the words, “Aneroid Barometer, Paris” and the company logo of the French manufacturer, Guilbert & Cie.

The barometer has a graduated brass case with integral hanging loop and has the logo repeated to the back, a leather belt with the initials G&C to the centre.

This example given its English wording, would have been manufactured specifically by Guilbert for export to the English market, a practice that was extraordinarily common amongst French retailers throughout the Victorian period. The invention of the aneroid barometer was of French origin (Lucien Vidi) and other famous manufacturers such Naudet and Dubois & Casse became prominent after Vidi’s patent expired, exhibiting and gaining trade links through the world fairs that were prevalent at the time. The English obsession with the weather created healthy profits for those that could afford to exploit it!

Little is known about the Guilbert company except that it was eventually bought out by Alfred Casse of Dubios & Casse fame who was himself eventually succeeded himself by Louis Maxant, all very capable manufacturers of scientific and meteorological instruments.

This example is both pleasing for its size (slightly more unusual to find an eight inch dial) and for the detailing to the centre of the dial. A pretty French aneroid built and exported for the English market.

Circa 1880