Francis Watkins - London
Most elegant late 18th
Century mahogany Marine Stick Barometer, with
ring suspension over finely engraved silvered
brass register plates, signed by the maker,
bearing manually-operated vernier slide and
protected by hinged door. The slender trunk,
square with bowed sides in cross-section, mounted
with later hinged brass gimbals, concealing
original barometer tube and terminating in rare
turned ebonised boxwood cistern.
c1785
Watkins was one of the leading mathematical
instrument-makers of his generation, trading
from premises at 5 Charing Cross, London from
c1747-90.
The firm thrived under successive members of
the family until 1857, when “Watkins and
Hill” was taken over by Elliot brothers,
eventually becoming part of GEC.
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