---
type: Organization
title: Instrument Works
description: The Institute's instrument-manufacturing and sales arm at Corran Hill,
  producing tide clocks, lenses, barometers, and chronometers under the Institute's
  own proving standards.
tags:
- kelvarra
- the-institute
- port-ilvess
- instruments
resource: raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md
aliases:
- the Works
timestamp: '2026-07-16T15:03:08Z'
citadel_version: 0.3.0
---

# Instrument Works

The Instrument Works is the instrument-manufacturing and sales arm of [the Institute](../organizations/the-institute.md) (the AINM), standing on Corran Hill.[^s1] It has stood there since the Institute's move to Corran Hill in 1988,[^s2] and it issues an annual catalogue — its 1992 edition offers "its usual apologies for the waiting list and its usual refusal to shorten it by hurrying."[^s2] Every instrument it makes is proved against the Institute's standards before it is "suffered to leave the building"; prices hold to the end of the year, and delivery dates hold too, "the sea permitting."[^s3]

## Flagship instruments

Two of the Works' products carry enough of their own history to merit separate pages: the [Ferrick Tide Clock](../objects/the-ferrick-tide-clock.md), a tidal clock pattern sold in the harbour and house sizes, and [The Saltglass Lens](../objects/the-saltglass-lens.md), a survey and chart doublet.

## Barometers

The Works sells three barometer patterns: the sealed marine aneroid, the station mercurial in its long case, and the recording pattern in its travelling chest.[^s4] Every barometer is proved against the KSB before sale and carries its reduction card in the lid; a purchaser who loses the card may return the instrument for re-proving at the price of the postage and a civil letter.[^s5] The recording pattern is commended to the attention of harbour boards with seawalls to defend — "the Works names no names."[^s6]

## Chronometers and watch proving

The Works continues to make the two-day chronometer in its gimballed box, and continues to prove any islander's watch at the counter for the price of the tea drunk while waiting, under the clause of the founding charter that the counter staff "can recite in their sleep and occasionally do."[^s7] The mainland trade is reminded that the Works' chronometer certificates "state the rate found, not the rate hoped for, and that this is a feature."[^s8]

## Sundries

The Works also sells survey chains and bands (proved); thermometers graduated on the Institute's ladder, in the station and pocket patterns; sounding leads and lines; the tide-pole in three lengths; and a plain brass rain gauge — "the one instrument in this catalogue nobody has ever returned."[^s9]

## Ordering

Orders go to the Instrument Works, Corran Hill, [Port Ilvess](../misc/port-ilvess.md).[^s10] Correspondents must state the home port with any order for a tidal instrument, and state it correctly: "the gearing cannot afterwards be argued with, and neither, on this point, can the Works."[^s10]

## See also
- [The Institute](../organizations/the-institute.md)
- [Port Ilvess](../misc/port-ilvess.md)
- [The Ferrick Tide Clock](../objects/the-ferrick-tide-clock.md)
- [The Saltglass Lens](../objects/the-saltglass-lens.md)
- [The Standard Kilogram](../objects/the-standard-kilogram.md)
- [Boiling Point of Water](../concepts/boiling-point-of-water.md)
- [Brann Tidal Survey](../projects/brann-tidal-survey.md)

## Sources
[^s1]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), line 1 — the Instrument Works named as the AINM's works at Corran Hill (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s2]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 3-5 — the catalogue's apology for the waiting list and the Works' standing at Corran Hill since the 1988 move (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s3]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 5-7 — proving against the Institute's standards and the year-end price/delivery terms (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s4]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 34-35 — the three barometer patterns sold (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s5]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 35-37 — KSB proving before sale, the reduction card, and the re-proving policy (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s6]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 37-38 — the recording pattern commended to harbour boards (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s7]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 42-44 — the two-day chronometer and free watch proving under the founding charter (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s8]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 44-46 — chronometer certificates stating the rate found, not hoped for (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s9]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 50-53 — sundries: survey chains, thermometers, sounding leads, tide-pole, and rain gauge (ingested 2026-07-15)
[^s10]: [raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md](../../raw/instrument-works-catalogue-1992.md), lines 55-57 — the ordering address and the home-port requirement for tidal instruments (ingested 2026-07-15)
