Antique Short & Mason Pocket Barometer / Altimeter for A&NCS

The barometer is in beautiful condition, as though it has hardly ever been used. It has a gilt finish which is in super condition, just very light marking to the back. The glass lens is in excellent condition too. The dial is signed with the name of the manufacturer, Short & Mason, London, a prestigious precision instrument manufacturer, founded in 1845 by Thomas Short and James Mason at Hatton Garden, London. As well as retailing their instruments, they supplied famous explorers including scientific instruments for the ill fated Scott and Shackleton Polar expeditions. The dial is also signed A&NCS Ltd, which was the Army & Navy Co-Operative Ltd. The Co-Operative was founded in 1871 with a view to supplying members with goods at reduced prices. The membership was reliant on serving within the British military, or being part of a military family. The outer chapter ring on the dial is marked from 0- 8,000 feet and indicates the height above sea level. The inner ring is marked from 23 to 31 inches and indicates atmospheric pressure in inches of mercury, To measure your height you rotate the outer chapter ring until the hand is aligned with the zero (assuming you are at sea level), then as you climb, the hand moves due to the fall in air pressure and you will be able to read off the height you have reached. The barometer automatically adjusts the reading for changes in temperature, thereby giving a more accurate reading. The barometer comes in its original Moroccan leather case complete with original tag. All prices include UK postage (excluding Northern Ireland). Please contact us regarding international shipping costs. Some countries do not allow the importation of antiques / watches / precious metals. Please contact us prior to placing an order if you are unsure about your country and we can check this for you. The international buyer is responsible for paying any import duties and taxes. All of our watches are checked over before listing and are also checked for accuracy which is usually within around +/- two to three minutes over 24 hours (unless otherwise stated), which is considered respectable for a vintage watch. We are a VAT registered company and all purchases are covered by Consumer Regulations. Credit / debit card purchases can be made over the telephone on 01386 750238 or you can proceed via the red 'Buy Now' button on each listing page. We are an on-line only business and do not have facilities for callers. Our offices are open from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. With regards to appraisals / valuations, we receive a huge number of information requests each day and unfortunately do not have the manpower to deal with them all individually. Our advice would be to contact a local auctioneer for a full appraisal.