PLATH BULKHEAD ANEROID BAROMETER. Maximum diameter 8 1/2 Dia. Dial 6″ Height 2 3/4″ Weight 3 pounds. Presented is a very rare C. Plath android barometer that is stamped with the number 2165 on the back of its hardwood case. It is very different from many other barometers of this type available on today’s market because of its high quality C. Plath mechanism which results in extremely accurate readings. Plath for years has been a maker of instruments used for marine navigation and continues in business today. Our tests show that it reads very close to the data reported for this location at the same time. PROVENANCE: It has been in the same family for the past 50+ years. Aneroid barometers measures pressure by a method does not use a liquid. Invented in 1844 by French scientist Lucien Vidi, the aneroid barometer uses a small, flexible metal box called an aneroid cell (capsule), which is made from an alloy of beryllium and copper. The evacuated capsule is prevented from collapsing by a strong spring. Small changes in external air pressure cause the cell to expand or contract. This expansion and contraction drives mechanical levers such that the tiny movements of the capsule are amplified and displayed on the face of the aneroid barometer. Many models include a manually set needle which is used to mark the current measurement so a change can be seen. In addition, the mechanism is made deliberately “stiff” so that tapping the barometer reveals whether the pressure is rising or falling as the pointer moves. This type of barometer is common in homes and in recreational boats, as well as small aircraft. It is also used in meteorology, mostly in barographs and as a pressure instrument in radiosondes. Movement of the Plath android barometer. This is the only example of this barometer that we have been able to find. Our research has included a review of the internet and of our C. Plath reference works including self-published books of the company’s history through its 1st 150 years. Plath sextants were considered to be the Rolls Royce of celestial navigation instrument and we consider this device to be of the same caliber. Viewing the barometer from the left. Note the thick beveled crystal. CONDITION: There is little fault to find with except to note the normal marks of age and the darkening of the varnish with time. There are two mounting tabs missing from the back. The instrument reads very closely. To the reported data in this area. Showing the pointers and the high quality print. Back of case showing two missing tabs and No. 2165 at the top. As a result WW II, C. Plath was dismantled completely by the occupation forces. Around 1950, various prohibitions were lifted, and C. Plath was allowed to begin production again of sextants and other nautical instruments. Also in 1949, C. Plath was offered a gyrocompass patent and in 1951 the first gyrocompass designed to this patent was presented to the public. In the following years the product range was expanded by many more modern designs such as autopilots, speed logs, radio direction finders, etc. Plath was acquired by Litton Industries, a large American concern. Plath North American Division was set up in 1978 in College Park near Washington. 1996 saw the introduction of the world’s first fiber-optic solid-state gyrocompass by C. The first ever gyrocompass with no moving parts. Sperry Marine was formed in 1997 with the combination of C. Plath, Decca Marine and Sperry Marine with more organizational changes yet to come. After 163 years, C. Plath changes its name to Sperry Marine in May 2000. In 2001 Sperry Marine becomes part of the Northrop Grumman Corporation. In the 1990’s Plath came out with a series of new sextant designs with overlapping designs and confusing names. They seemed to have lost their way. Plath quit producing sextants. The parent company has completely liquidated everything including machinery, equipment and spare parts. For purposes of judging whether Joel’s opinion counts, he was the editor of the chapter on sextants of the 1977 Edition of “Bowditch”, The American Practical Navigator, NAVPUB 9; a member of the U. Naval Academy Navigation Symposium, 1975 -1978; the author of a book on marine sextants, Cornell Maritime Press, 1975, and the founding president of Nautech Maritime Corporation which partnered with Tamaya of Japan in the introduction of the MS 733 Spica, the MS 833, Jupiter, MS 933 Venus sextants and the famous NC-2 navigation computer, in the U. Joel is a retired Master Upon Oceans, and held a U. Navy “D” Qualification as a Senior Skipper – Oceans. For six years he was a Varsity Offshore Sailing Team Coach at the U. Some of his memberships have included the: Association of Naval Aviation, Silver Wings, The Tailhook Association, Naval Academy Sailing Squadron, McCampbell’s Aces Squadron, Naval Historical Foundation, and the Naval Order of the United States. Return items must be insured for their full value. COUNTRIES SERVED: International buyers welcome, but inquire first. Maarten, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu (New Hebrides), USVI and the Eastern Caribbean. The item “VINTAGE C. PLATH BULKHEAD ANEROID BAROMETER” is in sale since Friday, April 22, 2016. This item is in the category “Antiques\Science & Medicine (Pre-1930)\Scientific Instruments\Barometers”. The seller is “authentic_nautical_antiques” and is located in Palm City, Florida. This item can be shipped worldwide.
