AN EARLY 19TH CENTURY DUTCH CONTRA - BAROMETER (BAK BAROMETER) BY J. STOPPANI, AMSTERDAM, the rectangular case surmounted by black and gilt verre eglomise panels to the pediment, two silvered register plates or scales, each with engraved urn finials, ribbon tied cartouch engraved BAROMETER/THERMOMETER/en/CONTROLEUR door J STOPPANI & Zoon te Amst, supporting a mercury barometer and alcohol thermometer over a rectangular cistern cover

120cm high

Notes:

J. Stoppani & Zoon (J. Stoppani & Son), also spelt Stopanni or Stopani, was a family of barometer makers. John Stopanni was active in Amsterdam in the first half of the 19th century. The firm made barometers and contra-barometers (so named for one of its two mercury systems which use a U-shaped tube with mercury and coloured oil) in the Louis XVI style.

Contra barometers or 'Bak barometers', literally a barometer in a box, are found throughout the low countries frrom around 1740 onwards.