Met Office Presentation Barograph by Casella of London

For sale, a Twentieth Century Met Office presentation barograph by Casella London.

Comprised of a mahogany case and set upon bracket feet. The case is glazed on two sides and hinged to allow access to the mechanism. The base also has a thin slide draw which would allow the storage of spare pen arms and nibs.

It lid a brass carrying handle and the less common feature of a time marker button to the top. When depressed, it would cause the pen arm to make a mark on the chart. This additional function was used mainly to create comparison between the barograph clocks accuracy versus real time and any variations would have been calculated once a chart was submitted. It would of course have to have been repeatedly done at the same time daily by the observer to ensure accuracy of records.

The front of the case also bears a presentation plate with the following engraving:

“Presented by The Director-General of the Meteorological Office to Captain MJ Heron in recognition of his valuable meteorological work at sea from 1947 to 1974”

The mechanism is based upon a gilt brass plate with a clock movement by the Gluck Barograph & Recorder Company Limited. The movement is accesses by lifting the lid from the recording barrel and is also wound by means of the key retained within.

The bellows are comprised of a single concertina pattern capsules rather than individual evacuated capsules, a development which is often seen on later barographs. Above is a knurled screw which would allow for adjustments and setting of the altitude as required. The pen arm is of gate form and the arm throw to the side of the barrel can hand operated at the base of the pillar. It comes complete with its Casella London brass engraved nameplate and its original Casella ink bottle.

The presentation of gifts by the Met Office for services rendered by mariners has been happening informally almost from its inception in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Examples are rare but certainly exist. In the early Twentieth Century, The Met Office sought to formalise this process and in 1924 an annual Excellence Award was presented each year. Some details from their records provides some further detail and some specifics on the recipient of this super barograph:

“Commencing in 1948, in addition to the annual Excellence Awards which had been presented since 1924, the Director-General of the Meteorological Office has made special awards to the four voluntary marine observers whose contribution has been particularly outstanding over a prolonged period.

All officers who have provided us with meteorological records in 15 or more years, and who have compiled at least one meteorological logbook in the previous year, come within the possibilities of being selected for the special awards. Personal cards, are scrutinised; length of service combined with the number and quality of their records decides the order of placings.

In 1974 there were 99 officers with the required length of service, over 15 years; these years are rarely continuous and frequently cover periods of 30 years or even more.

The Director-General is pleased to make special awards to the following shipmasters:

Captain JM Burns of P&O Lines, whose first meteorological logbook was received here in 1951 from SS Dorset (Federal Steam Navigation Company). During his 22 years of voluntary observing Captain Burn has provided us with 34 logbooks, 30 of which were classed Excellent.

Captain MJ Heron also of P&O Lines, at present serving with Container Fleets Ltd, a consortium of which P&O is a member. Captain Heron’s first logbook was received in 1947 from the SS Pipiriki (New Zealand Shipping Company). During his 22 years of voluntary observing, Captain Heron has provided us with 43 logbooks, 33 of which were classed Excellent.

Captain DS Millard, Manchester Liners Ltd, who sent us his first logbook in 1946 fr