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ANTIQUE #SA985776

Late Victorian Tipping Bucket Recording Rain Gauge By Callaghan & Co Of London

£2,000    $2,626    €2,390
For sale, a late Victorian tipping bucket recording rain gauge by Callaghan & Co of 23a New bond Street, London.
 
Comprised of a black painted two-part zinc case with a graduated base and graduated lift off cover with central hole and siphon to receive rainfall and deliver it to an internal tipping bucket mechanism. An unusually pristine opaline glass dial measures an inch of rainfall around the outer circumference, with a secondary centre dial allowing for up to 25 inches of rainfall and a hand operated dial pointer for recording current observations.
 
It is complete with the maker’s name of Callaghan & Co, 23a New Bond Street, Corner of Conduit Street, London.
 
This exact model featured in the James Hicks catalogues of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods and is described as follows:
 
“The dial recording rain gauge has a receiver with an area of 100 square inches. The rain which passes through the receiver falls into a bucket, divided into two parts. After the rain has filled one side it falls over and empties itself, the other half of the bucket coming into position to receive the water. This moves forward the hand one division of the dial, representing .01 of an inch of rainfall, and so on. The gauge is quite automatic and requires no attention.
 
It registers up to 25 inches, has an index, which can be set by hand, fitted to record the result of the last observation made.
 
The dial of opal glass is very distinct, the receiver is secured by two thumbscrews, so that the wind cannot move it, and over the small inlet there is a cover to prevent the passing through of falling leaves etc.”
 
William Callaghan’s career began as an employee of the famous firm of Thomas Harris & Son. It is likely that he was apprenticed there but he was certainly working for them in their Great Russell Street premises by 1841 after having attended the London Mechanic Institute. Sadly, little is known of Callaghan’s meteoric rise to fame but by 1851 he had exhibited at t...
Antique #SA985776, shown on this page, originates from 1890. For historical context, the timeline below highlights the period when it was made:
1890
Famous inventions historic timeline graphic to help to give historical context to the date of this antique.
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JASON CLARKE ANTIQUES PROFILE PHOTO WHICH LINKS TO DEALER PAGE
Jason Clarke Antiques
Berkshire
United Kingdom
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07815 046645
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