🔎 UNIDENTIFIED How old are these?

Doubter in MD

Bronze Member
Jan 18, 2013
2,121
2,955
Maryland
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
This isn't so much a "What is it?" as it is a "How Old is it?"

I'm curious as to the age and worth of this barometer and temperature/humidity gauge.
barometer.jpeg
barometer 2.jpeg
 

Neat. Although only the humidity gauge is marked I think both are from the Springfield Instrument Company originally located in Hackensack, New Jersey. They supplied various wall-mounted ‘weather station’ equipment for the home market, also acting as an agent/importer for other producers (note the aneroid barometer dial says “British Made”).

I’ve seen them claimed by sellers as “1930s” but the company wasn’t founded until 1956 and is still in business using the ‘Springfield’ name… but now owned Taylor Precision Products (since 2009) based in Oak Brook, Illinois. They also operate out of Montreal in Canada. The equivalent products in the range are now digital.
 

Upvote 5
This might help date the first item to earlier than 1962.
-------
"The UK Met Office has used the Celsius scale – formerly known as “centigrade” – in its work since 1st January 1961, to allow for greater international co-operation and because of the convenience of the scale. As the Met Office reported in 1962, this “led to the consideration of the desirability of introducing it in weather reports and forecasts for the general public.”
With the agreement of industry and the government, the Celsius scale was given after Fahrenheit from January 1962 as an interim measure, and then from the 15th October, Celsius became the primary unit given, with Fahrenheit retained as a secondary unit to aid the transition “for a period of several years.”
 

Upvote 3
This might help date it to earlier than 1962.
-------
"The UK Met Office has used the Celsius scale – formerly known as “centigrade” – in its work since 1st January 1961, to allow for greater international co-operation and because of the convenience of the scale. As the Met Office reported in 1962, this “led to the consideration of the desirability of introducing it in weather reports and forecasts for the general public.”
With the agreement of industry and the government, the Celsius scale was given after Fahrenheit from January 1962 as an interim measure, and then from the 15th October, Celsius became the primary unit given, with Fahrenheit retained as a secondary unit to aid the transition “for a period of several years.”

All of the above is of course correct but doesn't necessarily apply to products made for the American market. Nevertheless, I would think those items are from the late fifties or early sixties.
 

Upvote 2
I do now see that it says "centigrade" instead of "Celsius". (Thanks!)

From Wikipedia:

"The unit was called centigrade in several languages (from the Latin centum, which means 100, and gradus, which means steps) for many years. In 1948, the International Committee for Weights and Measures[3] renamed it to honor Celsius and also to remove confusion with the term for one hundredth of a gradian in some languages."

So it could be pre-1950 or they may have used "centigrade" for aesthetics.
 

Last edited:
Upvote 0
My thoughts on the first item would be that it's at least 100 years old.....maybe as much as 125. Storm glasses just aren't very modern at all. The second item, yeah 1960's or so.
 

Upvote 1
I should say, they're mine if I want to drive 2 1/2 hours to get them. I won them in an online auction. I paid a little less than $15 for the lot. I'm trying to decide if it's worth going to get them.
 

Upvote 0
I would. Nothing wrong with a road trip if you detect along the way!
 

Upvote 2
If anyone lives near Macungie, PA and wants these, PM me. I'm not sure of my schedule tomorrow, so if I can't make it up there, I will send you the invoice and you can pick them up and have them. They're paid for.
 

Upvote 0
They won't ship? Why would you bid on something out of town if you couldn't pick it up?
 

Upvote 1
No. They won't ship. This auction doesn't work that way.

I actually bid on several things but lost out on the other two. This was something I bid on because I hoped to win one of the other bids, figuring I'd pick everything up at once.

I haven't completely ruled out going to get these myself, but if I don't go, it's less than $15. That's not enough to worry about. I'd be fine with letting someone else have them.
 

Upvote 1
No. They won't ship. This auction doesn't work that way.

I actually bid on several things but lost out on the other two. This was something I bid on because I hoped to win one of the other bids, figuring I'd pick everything up at once.

I haven't completely ruled out going to get these myself, but if I don't go, it's less than $15. That's not enough to worry about. I'd be fine with letting someone else have them.
So I picked them up. I will but the barometer in my office and the thermometer in the factory.
 

Upvote 2
No. They won't ship. This auction doesn't work that way.

I actually bid on several things but lost out on the other two. This was something I bid on because I hoped to win one of the other bids, figuring I'd pick everything up at once.

I haven't completely ruled out going to get these myself, but if I don't go, it's less than $15. That's not enough to worry about. I'd be fine with letting someone else have them.
That's the thing with Maxsold, a person has to pick up the items in person. I fully understand the part loosing out on the main item(s) that is of interest, and getting stuck with something that is cheap in price-but a hassle to pick up also. I keep my map radius viewing to a 50 mile range instead of the 125.
 

Upvote 0

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top