拍品专文
John Russell (circa 1745-1817) opened a shop in Kirk Wynd, Falkirk in 1770. He was one of the most famous watch and clockmakers of his day. Such was the quality of his work that he was appointed Watchmaker to the Prince of Wales (later George IV), the title changing to 'Watchmaker to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent' on the establishment of the Regency in 1811. Thanks to the maker’s eagerness to display his appointments this wheel barometer can be dated prior to 1811, when the Prince of Wales became the Prince Regent. Several other barometers of this design survive which advertise the appointment to the Prince Regent and can be dated post 1811, including one in the Victoria & Albert Museum and one in the Royal Collection (RCIN 2769). Russell's sophisticated wheel barometers are fully discussed and illustrated in Sir Nicholas Goodison's second edition of Barometers (1977, pp. 229-236).