12" Dial Victorian Aneroid Barometer by Blake & Son of London & Gosport

For sale, a very large Victorian Marine Aneroid Barometer to Blake & Son of London & Gosport.

Comprised of a 12” painted, ceramic dial with a circular divided scale for 26 to 31 inches of barometric pressure. The outer circumference is decorated with lavish script with red accented colours outlining standard weather indications and stating, ‘Aneroid Barometer’ at the base.

The centre of the dial is decorated with a geometric pattern with the company name of Blake & Son – London & Gosport and has a large blue steel pointer with an accompanying brass set hand operated through the thick bevelled glass front and inset brass bezel.

The metal case is magnificently hand painted in a dark reddish brown colour to mimic the grain of mahogany. The back has a flame type grain pattern running from top to bottom.

Aneroid barometers of this size are rarely encountered and although the size is not typical of a marine barometer, it has manufacture similarities to the famous RNLI type aneroids of the same period. The company of Blake & Son were yacht chandlers in Gosport so I suspect that this was either a shop display example or intended for a lavish commission.

The company’s history is somewhat hard to decipher but it remains in business today as Blake & Taylors now based in Southampton and still providing marine hardware. The company relates that it was founded in 1789 where, as ship’s chandlers, they supplied Nelson’s fleet in Portsmouth. They have endured, diversified and acquired other business throughout the last two hundred years but remain a rare survivor.

Circa 1880