.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Herbert Cescinsky, The Old English Master Clockmakers and Their Clocks, London, 1938, p.95, fig.151
Eric Bruton, Wetherfield Collection of Clocks, London, 1981, p.221
Thomas Mudge (1715-1794) was apprenticed to George Graham in 1730 and was Free of the Clockmakers' Company from 1738. He worked for Graham and, after Graham's death in 1751, set up business on his own account in Fleet Street. He was one of England's finest clockmakers and is particularly remembered for his skills as a chronometer maker and as the inventor of the lever escapement. He formed a partnership with William Dutton in 1755 which lasted until 1771 when Mudge moved to Plymouth and Dutton succeeded to the London business. During the sixteen years of the London partnership a number of fine longcase and table clocks were made, a number of which have been offered at auction. It is rarer to see a clock signed by Thomas Mudge alone, as with the present example, of which the case design may be compared to an example by Mudge in the British Museum and to other examples signed Mudge and Dutton. Bruton (op. cit, p.221) notes that Rich was casemaker to Mudge and also worked for Vulliamy.
Herbert Cescinsky, The Old English Master Clockmakers and Their Clocks, London, 1938, p.95, fig.151
Eric Bruton, Wetherfield Collection of Clocks, London, 1981, p.221
Thomas Mudge (1715-1794) was apprenticed to George Graham in 1730 and was Free of the Clockmakers' Company from 1738. He worked for Graham and, after Graham's death in 1751, set up business on his own account in Fleet Street. He was one of England's finest clockmakers and is particularly remembered for his skills as a chronometer maker and as the inventor of the lever escapement. He formed a partnership with William Dutton in 1755 which lasted until 1771 when Mudge moved to Plymouth and Dutton succeeded to the London business. During the sixteen years of the London partnership a number of fine longcase and table clocks were made, a number of which have been offered at auction. It is rarer to see a clock signed by Thomas Mudge alone, as with the present example, of which the case design may be compared to an example by Mudge in the British Museum and to other examples signed Mudge and Dutton. Bruton (op. cit, p.221) notes that Rich was casemaker to Mudge and also worked for Vulliamy.