[William Cloud Hicklin]

I don't suppose Tolkien was much of a techie, certainly not the sort who would be aware of the difference and relative dates of aneroid and mercury barometers. I think, at least at the time of the illustration, he viewed Mr B Baggins Esq as enjoying the material lifestyle of an English country gentleman of, say, William and Mary's time. Such a man would very likely have had clocks on the wall and the mantle, and a barometer beside the door to check the weather before going out; I doubt T realized that the one depicted was 'anachronistic.'