A fine George III slender mahogany mercury stick barometer with ivory cistern float Alexander Adie, Edinburgh, early 19th century The slender figured mahogany case with brass vernier adjustment screw to top above inset rectangular silvered vernier scale with canted upper angles and calibrated in barometric inches to right hand margin beneath engraved signature A. Adie, Edinburgh to upper edge, the trunk with visible tube above moulded reeded square section cistern cover with ivory mercury float to right hand side and brass level adjustment screw beneath, 94.5cm (37.25ins) high. Alexander Adie is recorded in Goodison, Nicholas English BAROMETERS 1680-1860 as born 1774 and apprenticed to his uncle, the eminent Scottish instrument maker John Miller in 1789. In 1804 his uncle took him into partnership under the name of Miller and Adie which continued until after Miller's death in 1815. Adie was particularly interested in meteorological instruments and is perhaps best known as the inventor of the Sympiesometer in 1818. In recognition of his work he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1819. He was appointed optician to William IV and later Queen Victoria and took one of his sons, John, into partnership in 1835. Two of his other sons set up businesses; Robert in Liverpool and Patrick in London. Unfortunately John Adie was prone to 'fits of despondency' which resulted in him shooting himself in 1857, Alexander Adie died the following year - no doubt expediated by the stress of his son's demise. The current lot appears to be a well made but functional model from Adie's range that has practical refinements such as screw vernier adjustment to the top of the case and ivory cistern float. These details, along with the reeded decoration to the cistern cover, demonstrates a commonality between the current lot and the more exotic slender bowfronted model produced by Adie; an example of which was sold in these rooms on Tuesday 4th September 2012 (lot 112) for £7,500 hammer. Condition report disclaimer
A fine George III slender mahogany mercury stick barometer with ivory cistern float Alexander Adie, Edinburgh, early 19th century The slender figured mahogany case with brass vernier adjustment screw to top above inset rectangular silvered vernier scale with canted upper angles and calibrated in barometric inches to right hand margin beneath engraved signature A. Adie, Edinburgh to upper edge, the trunk with visible tube above moulded reeded square section cistern cover with ivory mercury float to right hand side and brass level adjustment screw beneath, 94.5cm (37.25ins) high. Alexander Adie is recorded in Goodison, Nicholas English BAROMETERS 1680-1860 as born 1774 and apprenticed to his uncle, the eminent Scottish instrument maker John Miller in 1789. In 1804 his uncle took him into partnership under the name of Miller and Adie which continued until after Miller's death in 1815. Adie was particularly interested in meteorological instruments and is perhaps best known as the inventor of the Sympiesometer in 1818. In recognition of his work he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1819. He was appointed optician to William IV and later Queen Victoria and took one of his sons, John, into partnership in 1835. Two of his other sons set up businesses; Robert in Liverpool and Patrick in London. Unfortunately John Adie was prone to 'fits of despondency' which resulted in him shooting himself in 1857, Alexander Adie died the following year - no doubt expediated by the stress of his son's demise. The current lot appears to be a well made but functional model from Adie's range that has practical refinements such as screw vernier adjustment to the top of the case and ivory cistern float. These details, along with the reeded decoration to the cistern cover, demonstrates a commonality between the current lot and the more exotic slender bowfronted model produced by Adie; an example of which was sold in these rooms on Tuesday 4th September 2012 (lot 112) for £7,500 hammer. Condition report disclaimer
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.jpg "Quelle: Christie's")
.jpg "Quelle: Christie's")
