John Bennett Georgian Barometer

Description

This exceptional Georgian barometer by the leading London instrument-maker John Bennett strongly reflects the prevalent furniture style and architectural elements of the time in its classical simplicity. Not many barometers from before the 1770s remain, making this example exceptional, especially since it is still in excellent condition. It features an open cistern with silvered brass register plates with engraved weather indications at the apex. The sycamore veneer, an extremely hard to find wood on barometers, is fiddle back (so named because it is commonly found on violin backs), so it has a fine, even ripple along its surface.

Circa 1750

37 1/2″ high x 4 3/8″ wide x 3 1/4″ deep

In the latter half of the 18th century, Bennett was a popular optical, mathematical, and physical instrument-maker. He held appointments to members of the Royal Family, including the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Cumberland. Economic expansion took place in 18th-century England, and with a greater level of prosperity came a considerable increase in the number of barometers manufactured for domestic use among the wealthiest citizens. The straight cistern-tube, or stick, barometer remained the most common form throughout Bennett’s lifetime, for they were thought of as the most lasting and dependable.