SERIES III: RELIQUARIES for OBJECTS THAT MEASURE
Antique Horsehair Hygrometer
Hygrometer, wood sheet and trim, cloth, brass repousse, antique print
24 1/2" ht. x 18 3/4" w. x 3 1/4" d.
Measuring devices from the past fascinate me. I research all my objects to understand when and how they were used. I couldn't believe that this was actual and still intact horse hair as the source for determining the humidity for this hygrometer. Invented in the 18th century, these were standard meteorological instruments used to track daily weather and moisture levels.
(Whipple Museum of the History of Science)