How do I transport one safely?

You must keep the tube upright at all times. Don't tip the case. Tipping allows the heavy liquid to rush up the tube and smash the top glass. Wrap the case in blankets. Keep the instrument vertical in the footwell of a car during transit.

I have heard you have to be careful with the liquid inside these things, so is it actually dangerous to keep one in the house?

The element is safely contained within the sealed glass tube and cistern. Normal use presents no risk to a household, provided the case remains attached to the wall. Spills only occur if the glass breaks. Should a breakage happen, you need to clear up the droplets wearing gloves and dispose of them through local hazardous waste channels.

Can they still predict the weather?

They react to atmospheric changes just as well today. You read the current pressure and compare it to yesterday's position to forecast local shifts.

There is a small knob at the bottom of the dial on my wheel version, so what does it actually control?

That operates the brass set hand on the dial face. You turn it to align with the main indicator hand. Checking it the next day reveals whether the main hand has moved up or down. It acts as a mechanical memory for your last reading.

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Antique Mercury Barometers

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A vertical glass tube filled with heavy liquid metal, typically mounted on a wooden backboard and read via an engraved scale to forecast local weather changes by measuring atmospheric pressure.