Barometer (detail), made by James Watt

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This is a detail of a barometer made around 1760 in Glasgow by James Watt (1736-1819). The barometer is one of the very rare pieces surviving from the instrument-making period of James Watt's career.

The stick barometer has a brass plate with a sliding pointer and two scales. The right scale is marked 27-31 inches, the left 'VERY DRY/SET FAIR/FAIR/CHANGE/ RAIN/MCH. RAIN/ STORMY'. The plate is signed 'James Watt/ Glasgow' at the top.

Although Watt is famed as an engineer, he trained as a scientific instrument maker, initially in Glasgow, then for a year in London. Glasgow University appointed him as its mathematical instrument maker between 1757 and 1763.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-000-949-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1975.51
• Date: Around 1760
  
• Material: Brass scale, wooden cistern and case. Inscription: James Watt Glasgow
  Barometer, cistern tube
  
• Dimensions: 886 mm H
  
• What: Barometer, cistern tube
  
• Subject: 10. METEOROLOGY (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: James Watt, Glasgow (Maker)
  
• Where: Scotland, Lanarkshire, Glasgow
  
• Event:
• Description: Cistern tube barometer signed by James Watt of Glasgow
  
• References:
  • Clarke, T.N., Morrison-Low, A.D. & Simpson, A.D.C. Brass & glass scientific instrument making workshops in Scotland as illustrated by instruments from the Arthur Frank Collection at the Royal Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh: NMS, 1989. pp 164-173 
  • Goodison, N. English Barometers 1680-1860. London: 1977 
  • Hills, Richard L, James Watt’s Barometers, Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society No. 60 (1999) pp 5-10 
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