Lot Essay
This mahogany library clock , with its Etruscan-black plinth and ribbon inlay and golden bas-relief of a laurel-wreathed eagle (symbolising Roman virtue) was designed in the early 19th century French antique manner.
Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy, (d. 1854) was clockmaker to King George III and to George, Prince Regent, later King George IV. Both his father, Benjamin (d. 1811) and his grandfather Justin (d. 1797) served as clockmakers to Kings George II & III. All three seemed to have the natural ability to combine a genius for clockmaking with a clever business mind. Benjamin Vulliamy supplied all manner of effects including candelabras, torcheres, incense burners to name but a few and was commonly titled as the Prince's 'Furniture man'. This clock was almost certainly supplied to Sir Thomas Buckler-Lethbridge 2nd Bt., M.P. for Somerset (1778-1849) when he was in the process of aggrandising Sandhill Park in Somerset. It typifies the Roman fashion that was introduced to the Prince of Wales's London palace at Carlton House under the guidance of the architect Charles Heathcote Tatham (d, 1842). The clock's Roman eagle was originally created as a complimentary pair to one that had been supplied to Vulliamy through the services of Robert Fogg, the celebrated antique porcelain and furniture dealer, by the Parisian fondeur P-M Delafontaine (d.1860) of the Rue St. Honoré. The mounts were introduced on the inkstand (illus.) which was bought from Vulliamy by the Prince of Wales for the enormous sum of 105 guineas on 25 April 1810. Examination of the Vulliamy work books reveal that only two of the four eagle mounts were supplied by Delafontaine, the other two being of English manufacture probably made by 'Smith' who was paid 15/-d by Vulliamy for making the 'model of little eagle for panel reversed'. From research done on the four eagle mounts on the inkstand (Geoffrey De Bellaigue op. cit.) it is almost certain that the mount on the present clock was also made by 'Smith'.
The clock's serial number 637 would indicate the likely date of manufacture to be 1817 the year in which Sir Thomas's son, Sir Thomas Hesketh Lethbridge married Harriett Mytton
We are grateful to Roger Smith Esq for his assistance in cataloguing this lot
Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy, (d. 1854) was clockmaker to King George III and to George, Prince Regent, later King George IV. Both his father, Benjamin (d. 1811) and his grandfather Justin (d. 1797) served as clockmakers to Kings George II & III. All three seemed to have the natural ability to combine a genius for clockmaking with a clever business mind. Benjamin Vulliamy supplied all manner of effects including candelabras, torcheres, incense burners to name but a few and was commonly titled as the Prince's 'Furniture man'. This clock was almost certainly supplied to Sir Thomas Buckler-Lethbridge 2nd Bt., M.P. for Somerset (1778-1849) when he was in the process of aggrandising Sandhill Park in Somerset. It typifies the Roman fashion that was introduced to the Prince of Wales's London palace at Carlton House under the guidance of the architect Charles Heathcote Tatham (d, 1842). The clock's Roman eagle was originally created as a complimentary pair to one that had been supplied to Vulliamy through the services of Robert Fogg, the celebrated antique porcelain and furniture dealer, by the Parisian fondeur P-M Delafontaine (d.1860) of the Rue St. Honoré. The mounts were introduced on the inkstand (illus.) which was bought from Vulliamy by the Prince of Wales for the enormous sum of 105 guineas on 25 April 1810. Examination of the Vulliamy work books reveal that only two of the four eagle mounts were supplied by Delafontaine, the other two being of English manufacture probably made by 'Smith' who was paid 15/-d by Vulliamy for making the 'model of little eagle for panel reversed'. From research done on the four eagle mounts on the inkstand (Geoffrey De Bellaigue op. cit.) it is almost certain that the mount on the present clock was also made by 'Smith'.
The clock's serial number 637 would indicate the likely date of manufacture to be 1817 the year in which Sir Thomas's son, Sir Thomas Hesketh Lethbridge married Harriett Mytton
We are grateful to Roger Smith Esq for his assistance in cataloguing this lot