Fine Antique Clocks, Barometers & Marine Chronometers
Gracechurch Street, London
Date: c1850The well figured rosewood case with bevelled glass panels to the top and sides with folding gilt hexagonal bar handle having scroll ends and terminating with lions heads, standing on gilt bun feet. The silvered dial with Roman numerals, subsidiary seconds dial at X11 o’clock and foliate scroll engraving to the surround with blued steel hands, signed Frodsham Gracechurch Street London. The two-train chain fusee movement, signed Frodsham Gracechurch Street London on the backplate, sounding the hours on a gong with pull repeat cord and a gilt platform lever escapement.
Case height 9 ¼ inches (23.5cms).
John Frodsham was born in 1785 and admitted to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1822. He had a son, Henry John, and took him on as an apprentice in 1830. Henry was admitted to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1838.John had premises at 33 Gracechurch Street from circa 1825 to 1837. The business moved next door to number 31 where they remained until the turn of the century. It is recorded that the business was trading as Frodsham & Son from 1834 to 1853. John Frodsham died in 1849 and the Frodsham business went into partnership with Baker in 1854 and traded as Frodsham & Baker until 1863.
References:
‘Victorian Clocks’ by Richard Good ‘Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World’ by Brian Loomes.
London
No. 1131
Date: c1853
A very rare example made for Hunt & Roskell, London.
The oval gilt-brass case with shuttered rear and folding strut numbered 1131 having a convex glass enclosing a foliate engraved numbered silvered dial with Roman numerals and blued steel fleur-de-lis hands. The top-quality double spring barrel eight-day duration movement with jewelled end stops, compensated lever escapement and turned finned pillars complete with original velvet lined Moroccan leather case stamped in the lid HUNT & ROSKELL late STORR & MORTIMER LONDON.
Case Height: 4 inches (10cms).
Case width: 3 inches (8cms).
PALAIS ROYAL 52
PARIS
Date: c1870
An unusual French carriage clock with ‘night time’ repeat on a gong.
The attractive florally engraved case showing exotic birds on the base with a similar theme on the side panels, with a shuttered rear door en suite; the white enamel dial having Roman numerals and blued steel moon hands with alarm set dial below, signed CHles OUDIN, PALAIS ROYAL 52; the two train spring barrel movement sounding the hours on a bell with plunge repeat on a gong via a separate movement signed Breguet, the alarm sounding on a bell in the base, with a gilt platform lever escapement. Complete with original black tooled leather travelling case with folding brass handle and latches.
Charles Oudin, élève de Breguet, is recorded at Palais National 1850; Palais Royal 1860.
Case height: 5 ½ inches (13.5cms).
34 Cannon Street
LONDON
No. 12
Date c: 1838
A fine and very rare Mail Guard’s watch made for the London and Birmingham Railway, which opened for traffic in 1838 and numbered 1823 for the railway, having a four-day duration chain fusée movement with lever escapement; the white enamel dial with Roman numerals and blued steel hands.
Height: 4 inches (10cms)
Width: 2 ¾ inches (7cms)
Depth: 1 ¼ inches (3.2 cms)
See Carriage Clocks Their History and development by Charles Allix, pages 31 and 32 for a similar example and a brief history of the Mail Guard’s watch.
London
No. 1041
Date c1852
A very good mid-nineteenth century engraved strut timepiece.
The well engraved case numbered 1041, with folding handle, swivel foot and folding strut supports with bowed glass to the finely engraved silvered dial, signed C.F.Hancock LONDON, having Roman numerals and blued steel fleur-de-lys hands. The eight-day duration spring barrel movement, wound from the rear via a captive winder, with lever escapement. The case signed on the rear :-
C.F. HANCOCK
By appointment to the PRINCIPAL SOVERIGNS. COURTS OF EUROPE. 39 Bruton St. LONDON
Case height: 5 inches (13cms).
Note: The mainspring is dated 1858.
A UNIQUE DESK COMPENDIUM.
The finely engraved gilt-brass case with pierced and engraved top moulding above an opening hinged top panel revealing three compartments for stationery and visiting cards etc. The arched centre section housing a timepiece with a silvered engraved dial with Roman numerals and blued steel fleur de lys hands, signed THOs. COLE below V1; the eight-day duration spring barrel movement with lever escapement flanked by two side panels engraved with Grecian style urns with floral festoons, beneath the clock is a storage compartment, the flat section to the front contains a silvered adjustable calendar with ink wells with spring-loaded lids at each side. The whole standing on moulded square tapering legs.
This is one of Thomas Cole’s finest and most imposing creations.
Case height: 8 inches (20 cms)
Depth: 5 inches (10.5 cms)
Width: 10 inches (25.5 cms)
A fine small-sized Regency rosewood carriage clock.
The glazed case having well-chosen rosewood veneers with flush brass carrying handle to the top; dentil frieze above a brass moulding and standing on brass bun feet. The silvered engine-turned dial with radiating design to the centre having Roman numerals and blued steel hands. The two-train chain fusée movement with pull repeat facility, sounding the hours on a gong, signed on the backplate J.T. BELL London, surmounted by a gilt platform lever escapement.
J.T. Bell is recorded at 131 Mount Street.
Case height: 7 inches (17.5 cms).
