An impressive Baroque walnut and parcel giltwood mercury wall barometer with twin thermometers Unsigned, probably South German or North Italian, second quarter of the 18th century and later With mercury syphon tube set against the central obelisk applied with a foliate engraved silvered scale divided in roughly 1/8th inch intervals and calibrated 0-12 in two directions around a central zero and annotated Tempest, Coelum, Tempest, Pluvel, and Pro to left hand margin opposing Constans, Serenum, Dubia, Ventus, and Cella to the right flanked by elaborate leafy scrolls and drapery swags beneath tripartite corbelled gilt leaf carved finial, the centre with stepped demi-lune projecting niche with cavetto cornice and enclosing a seated figure of Pan flanked by a pair of conforming subsidiary obelisks draped with gilt fabric swags and applied with thermometers, the left with spirit tube and break-arch silvered scale calibrated 0-45 and annotated Temperatum, Primo Calidum, Calidum, Magis Calidum and Tempest Calidissi, the right with tube and similar scale calibrated in reverse 50-0 and annotated Temp Frigidissimum, Frigus Magnum, Magis Frigidum, Frigidum and Temperatum, the waist with leafy foliage springing from an tall cavetto frieze centred with carved foliate gilt fretwork applied curved platform, on a base carved as a naturalistic rocky outcrop issuing a pair of gilt waterfalls with leaping fish and foliate motifs, 125cm (49ins approx.) high. Provenance: Ex. Carlton Hobbs, New York. By repute formerly the property of Maria Callas. The calibration of the barometer scale applied to the current lot appears to have been executed roughly along similar principles to those described By John Smith in his 1688 publication A Compleat DISCOURSE, OF THE Nature, Use and Right Managing, Of that Wonderful INSTRUMENT, THE BAROSCOPE, OR Quick-Silver Weather-Glass. However, rather than the scale being annotated in barometric inches from 28-31 with weather observations provided every half inch as suggested by Smith, the present scale is divided into roughly 1/8th divisions around a central zero point and labelled every other graduation 0-12 in both directions. Two sets of weather observations in Latin are then provided every four divisions (ie. roughly every half inch). It is perhaps interesting to note that the presence of these two lists of observations (one for summer the other for winter) seems to follow practice adopted by English makers such as John Patrick and Daniel Quare by around 1695. The thermometers applied to the subsidiary obelisks appear to be calibrated for one to show warm temperatures and the other cold around a ‘temperate’ zero point, in other words the scale has been essentially split over two separate thermometers. This would require both to be carefully made in order for both to respond in a similar manner and also for the position of the ‘temperate’ zero point to be positioned higher for the cool tube compared to that for the opposing warm tube. The layout of the instrument with the winter annotations for the barometer tube being positioned on the right hand side of the scale mirrors that of the thermometers with the cool scale being applied to the right-hand obelisk. This arrangement provides purpose to the highly decorative layout of the current lot with the each side of the instrument being relevant for either summer or winter observations both for the barometer and thermometers respectively.
An impressive Baroque walnut and parcel giltwood mercury wall barometer with twin thermometers Unsigned, probably South German or North Italian, second quarter of the 18th century and later With mercury syphon tube set against the central obelisk applied with a foliate engraved silvered scale divided in roughly 1/8th inch intervals and calibrated 0-12 in two directions around a central zero and annotated Tempest, Coelum, Tempest, Pluvel, and Pro to left hand margin opposing Constans, Serenum, Dubia, Ventus, and Cella to the right flanked by elaborate leafy scrolls and drapery swags beneath tripartite corbelled gilt leaf carved finial, the centre with stepped demi-lune projecting niche with cavetto cornice and enclosing a seated figure of Pan flanked by a pair of conforming subsidiary obelisks draped with gilt fabric swags and applied with thermometers, the left with spirit tube and break-arch silvered scale calibrated 0-45 and annotated Temperatum, Primo Calidum, Calidum, Magis Calidum and Tempest Calidissi, the right with tube and similar scale calibrated in reverse 50-0 and annotated Temp Frigidissimum, Frigus Magnum, Magis Frigidum, Frigidum and Temperatum, the waist with leafy foliage springing from an tall cavetto frieze centred with carved foliate gilt fretwork applied curved platform, on a base carved as a naturalistic rocky outcrop issuing a pair of gilt waterfalls with leaping fish and foliate motifs, 125cm (49ins approx.) high. Provenance: Ex. Carlton Hobbs, New York. By repute formerly the property of Maria Callas. The calibration of the barometer scale applied to the current lot appears to have been executed roughly along similar principles to those described By John Smith in his 1688 publication A Compleat DISCOURSE, OF THE Nature, Use and Right Managing, Of that Wonderful INSTRUMENT, THE BAROSCOPE, OR Quick-Silver Weather-Glass. However, rather than the scale being annotated in barometric inches from 28-31 with weather observations provided every half inch as suggested by Smith, the present scale is divided into roughly 1/8th divisions around a central zero point and labelled every other graduation 0-12 in both directions. Two sets of weather observations in Latin are then provided every four divisions (ie. roughly every half inch). It is perhaps interesting to note that the presence of these two lists of observations (one for summer the other for winter) seems to follow practice adopted by English makers such as John Patrick and Daniel Quare by around 1695. The thermometers applied to the subsidiary obelisks appear to be calibrated for one to show warm temperatures and the other cold around a ‘temperate’ zero point, in other words the scale has been essentially split over two separate thermometers. This would require both to be carefully made in order for both to respond in a similar manner and also for the position of the ‘temperate’ zero point to be positioned higher for the cool tube compared to that for the opposing warm tube. The layout of the instrument with the winter annotations for the barometer tube being positioned on the right hand side of the scale mirrors that of the thermometers with the cool scale being applied to the right-hand obelisk. This arrangement provides purpose to the highly decorative layout of the current lot with the each side of the instrument being relevant for either summer or winter observations both for the barometer and thermometers respectively.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
