A RARE FRENCH COMBINED ANEROID BAROMETER AND TIMEPIECE COMPE...

Estimate

£600 - £800

A RARE FRENCH COMBINED ANEROID BAROMETER AND TIMEPIECE COMPENDIUME. BOURDON AND RICHARD, PARIS, CIRCA 1875The circular eight-day single train timepiece movement with silvered platform lever escapement vertically planted on the backplate engraved with a regulation scale and stamped RICHARD, A PARIS over serial number 237 to left hand margin, the backplate also applied with a cocked gear for driving the centre arbor for the concentric-scale barometer hand, engaging with a delicate curved toothed rack pivoted beneath a shaped bridge and connected via a crank to the opposing ends of a curved Bourdon-type elliptical section aneroid pressure-sensing chamber enveloping the movement and secured to rear of the dial via a bracket at the apex, the lower rear edge of the dial plate further stamped with FR monogram roundel over 7180 and RICHARD, A PARIS, the circular two piece white enamel dial with recessed 3.5 inch Roman numeral centre and blued steel moon hands set within outer scale calibrated in barometric inches and annotated with the usual observations in German, the lower margin inscribed METALL, BAROMETER between E BOURDON, ET RICHARD, BREVETTE'S, PARIS, GOLDENE MEDAILLIE, DER AUST'NE 1849 and a second obscured/incomplete medallion, the cylindrical case with bevel-glazed hinged bezel fitted with a barometer recording pointer to the glass opposing conforming push-fit glazed bezel to rear, beneath suspension ring pivoted within a ball-shaped post to top; cradled in original dark blue velvet-lined Morocco covered travelling case with hinged brass carrying handle to the arched-top and removable dial shutter panel to front.The timepiece 15cm (6ins) diameter, 7.5cm (3ins) deep, and 17cm (6.75ins) high with handle down; the case 22cm (8.5ins) high with handle down, 17cm (6.75ins) wide, 10cm (4ins) deep. The firm Freres Richard is noted in Banfield, Edwin Antique Barometers, an illustrated survey as being founded in Paris in 1858. Although they were predominantly clockmakers Richard Freres produced barometers for the engineer and inventor Eugene Bourdin who had devised a design of aneroid barometer alongside Lucien Vidie. Both Bourdon and Vidie exhibited Aneroid Barometers at the Great Exhibition of 1851; Vidie subsequently sued Bourdon for the infringement of his Patent. Vidie initially lost the case but was granted an award of 10,000 francs on appeal in 1861 by which time his patent had expired. The present lot is a fairly rare model with only around 500-600 believed to have been made by Richard, and benefits from retaining its original travelling case in fine condition.

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REPORT UPDATED 12/02/2025The timepiece movement is in relatively clean working condition and appears free form any visible alteration or noticeable replacements, a precautionary gentle clean/service may be advisabele. The barometer mechanism also appears to be in good condition and will respond to change in pressure when 'bag tested'. The Bourdon tube however is a replacement so no assurances as to the accuracy of the barometer can be provided. The timepiece dial is in very good condition with no visible damage other than a couple of light surface scratches. The outer concentric barometer scale however has a filled loss/chipping to the lower edge causing the right-hand medallion to be mostly missing; there are also numerous less visible hairline cracks to the barometer ring. The case is in fine condition with minimal blemishes/discolour to the lacquer finish. The outer leather travelling case is also in fine condition with only minimal wear to the interior linings and some very slight wear/scratching to the exterior.Timepiece is complete with a winding key.