About the service
I run a specialist restoration service for antique mercury and aneroid barometers, working with collectors, antique dealers, museums, and interior designers who need a working instrument, not just a decorative shell. Every barometer arrives for a full condition survey first: the mercury cell is checked for oxidation, leakage, and correct silvering; the aneroid capsule (where present) is tested for corrosion, lost elasticity, and drift against a reference; the glass tube is examined for hairline cracks, trapped air pockets, and the cloudy discoloration that throws off the reading. Cleaning and resealing the glass tube is carried out under controlled conditions with dedicated mercury-handling equipment — old mercury is decanted, filtered, and either purified for reuse or replaced with freshly triple-distilled mercury, then the tube is resealed so the vacuum column reads true from the first day. Wooden cases in mahogany, walnut, oak, and rosewood veneer are stripped of failed shellac, repaired at joints and mouldings, and finished by French polish or oil to match the original patina rather than a modern showroom gloss; lost inlay, carved crests, and barley-twist columns are reproduced by hand to the original profile. Brass fittings, gimbal mounts, thermometer scales, and vernier scales are cleaned and either re-lacquered or left with honest age, by the owner's choice. Every finished instrument is calibrated against a certified pressure reference across several readings before it leaves the workshop, with a written calibration note supplied. I take on stick barometers, banjo-case barometers, ship's barometers, and wall-mounted aneroids, sending progress photos at each stage of the work. Safe mercury handling and disposal is entirely on my side, so clients never touch the metal themselves.
