Alexander Adie - Edinburgh. Early, large and rare bow-fronted Sympiesometer - No. 230. c1820

Early, rare and unusually large, mahogany bow-fronted Sympiesometer - No. 230. The 'ogee' pediment over finely engraved silvered brass register plate, protected by bowed glass cover, and bearing Fahrenheit thermometer and sympiesometer tubes, manually-operated temperature-correction slide and circular recording plate to the base. The main plate signed by the maker, and all plates inscribed '230'.


Perhaps the most renowned of Scottish Scientific Instrument Makers, Alexander Adie [the only instrument maker to be elected to the Edinburgh Royal Society] worked from premises in Nicolson St. from 1804-28. Adie patented the 'Sympiesometer' in 1818, a marine instrument which, with modifications, was made in significant numbers well into the late 19th Century. This is said to be the only bow-fronted Adie sympiesometer recorded.