Vintage mid century 1950s onyx small desk barometer fully working, fabulous item. This is a lovely colour and in amazing condition. Some minor age related wear. This desk barometer looks great displayed with other desk items - illustration only by S B ( Shortlands barometer)
-
14 cm tall
7 cm wide at base
5 cm depth at base
-
S.B." on a thermometer most likely refers to S.B. Shortland, a British instrument maker whose company produced weather instruments, including thermometers, in England. These were often sold as part of a combined barometer and thermometer, frequently found in traditional wooden or brass cases. The "SB" designation signifies a British Made Instrument from a company that was established in the mid-20th century.
History of S.B. Shortland
Establishment: S.B. Shortland was a British company that made scientific instruments.
Products: The company was known for producing barometers and combined barometer-thermometers, often featured in wooden or brass casings, notes this eBay listing and Mullard Antiques and Collectibles.
Manufacturing: Some Shortland instruments are dated from the mid-20th century, with examples appearing from the 1930s to the 1960s.
"S.B." Markings: The "S.B." marking stands for Shortland's name, while "British Made Instrument" indicates its place of origin.
 
-
The history of the barometer began with Evangelista Torricelli, who invented the first barometer in 1643 using water, later switching to mercury. The device measures atmospheric pressure and was initially a scientific tool but evolved into decorative consumer items and the basis for early weather forecasting by Admiral Fitzroy in the 1860s. In 1843, Lucien Vidie invented the aneroid barometer, a more portable and liquid-free version.
Early development
1643: Evangelista Torricelli invented the first barometer after trying to understand why water could only be pumped to a certain height. His initial device used water but required a very long tube.
1644: Torricelli switched to mercury, creating a much shorter and more practical instrument because mercury is 14 times heavier than water.
1640-1644: Italian mathematician Gasparo Berti also built a rudimentary water barometer, but it was not designed to measure variable air pressure.
Evolution and popularization
1680s: Barometers began to appear in retail shops, initially as scientific instruments but quickly becoming decorative consumer goods.
Late 1600s/1700s: Highly decorative "stick" and "wheel" barometers were made from exotic woods, becoming popular status symbols in affluent homes.
1800s: Admiral Fitzroy used barometers to develop the first weather forecasts, a practice that was made possible by the development of the telegraph to share data.
The aneroid barometer
1843: Lucien Vidie invented the aneroid barometer, which means "without liquid".
Mechanism: This type uses a small, airtight, flexible metal box from which the air has been removed. Atmospheric pressure changes cause the box to expand or contract, and this movement is amplified by a system of levers to move a pointer on a dial.
Advantages: The aneroid barometer is more portable, durable, and less fragile than the mercury barometer, making it suitable for applications like airplane altimeters and marine use.
Modern status
Due to the toxicity of mercury, many countries have banned the sale of new mercury barometers. However, the repair and sale of older antique instruments are generally still permitted.
Modern weather forecasting relies on digital instruments and a vast network of global data rather than localized observations, though the principles of atmospheric pressure measurement established by Torricelli remain the same.