George Stebbing, Portsmouth c1840

A George IV mahogany marine mercury barometer with thermometer and its original brass gimbals mounting; signed on the silvered register plates Geo,, Stebbing Portsmouth Optician &c to her Majesty.

The barometer scale is graduated from 27 - 31 inches of mercury and the mercury in glass thermometer is graduated on the bone register plate from –10 to +110 degrees Fahrenheit.

The underside of the boxwood cistern has the date and maker's initials hand written in ink 7 Oct 1840 GS 702, the number 702 is also written on the top half of the cistern.

George Stebbing worked in Portsmouth from about 1805 to circa 1845, he was an optician, compass maker and maker of nautical instruments. Stebbing’s royal appointment was as Optician to the Duchess of Kent, the mother of Princess Victoria (who became Queen in 1843).

Stebbing’s eldest son, George James Stebbing, sailed with Robert FitzRoy and Charles Darwin on the second voyage of H.M.S. Beagle between 1831 and 1836. He was engaged by FitzRoy to maintain the expedition's instruments; the ship's roster records him as ‘instrument maker’. It is not clear if Stebbing junior was still working for his father in 1840; at some stage he opened a shop in Portsmouth in direct competition with him.

THIS ITEM HAS BEEN SOLD

Stock No. C957