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Lot Essay
Belonging to a rare and distinguished trio of clocks that encapsulate the finest traditions of precision, innovation, and aesthetic refinement in English horology, this spectacular clock ranks amongst the most exceptional English timepieces of the twentieth century. Numbered 2297 and accompanied by its original key and gold-tooled red Moroccan leather traveling box, the clock was last seen on the open market almost half a century ago in 1980. Having remained in the present important private collection for decades, Christie’s is privileged to offer this remarkable horological marvel this December.
The present clock, a brilliant and substantial silver Grande and Petite Sonnerie striking tourbillon ‘hump-back’ carriage clock was made by Nicole Nielsen for the revered London firm of Charles Frodsham & Co.
In 1914, Nicole, Nielsen & Co. were commissioned to make a small number of extraordinary carriage clocks, each with Grande Sonnerie striking and a tourbillon escapement. Their humpbacked form can be attributed to Abraham Louis and Antoine-Louis Breguet, who produced fine travel clocks including silver-cased ‘pendule portiques’ between 1812 -1830.
The exceptional specification and small size belie the incredible mechanical marvel within – featuring the delicate Grande Sonnerie strike work which is set beneath the dial. A large signed plate glazes almost the entire movement to the back of the clock, offering the user access to apertures for winding and hand-setting. A panel is keenly recessed to celebrate the Nicole Nielsen Type 1 tourbillon carriage with club-tooth lever escapement, and providing a stunning view of the impressive double barrel fusée-and-chain system delivering consistent power to the escapement.
The enamel dial, with its subtle Venetian tint and bold radial Arabic numerals, was likely crafted by the renowned London firm of Willis, celebrated as the foremost maker of dials for leading English watchmakers such as Charles Frodsham. The two smaller dials below display the state of winding for the 7-day power reserve, and strike selection with the choice of: Strike / Full Strike / Silent / Quarters.
Although perhaps apocryphal, legend has it that a group of seven of these complicated Nicole Nielsen clocks were specially commissioned by an individual client, six of which he presented to his favorite girlfriends whilst keeping the seventh for himself. The present clock is one of only three known examples made for Charles Frodsham, the present clock and two with perpetual calendar functions
The present lot is illustrated in Meis, Reinhard, Das Tourbillon, p. 332-333.
Nicole Nielsen
In 1839 Adolphe Nicole and Jules Capt, both talented Swiss watchmakers, set up business in London at 80B Dean Street. The firm later moved to 14 Soho Square where it remained until the company finally closed in 1934. Nicole & Capt were highly successful and won medals in many international exhibitions such as Paris in 1855 and 1867, Philadelphia in 1878 and Sydney in 1879. In 1876 Jules Capt died and in the same year his place as partner was filled by the Danish-born watchmaker Sophus Emil Nielsen and the company became Nicole, Nielsen & Co. and by 1880 the company was being run by Nielsen. They specialised in making super-complicated keyless watches often incorporating specifications such as perpetual calendar, chronograph, split seconds chronograph, repetition, temperature, equation of time and their most famous escapement; the Nicole Nielsen tourbillon. Invented by Breguet (1747-1823), the tourbillon is an escapement that revolves so that the balance pallets and escape wheel move through all the vertical positions in a given time period, usually once every minute. Delicate, expensive and fascinating to observe the tourbillon was Nicole, Nielsen's specialty. The Company designed their own tourbillon carriage that is today instantly recognisable and revered by collectors.
Many of their best watches were made for top retailers such as Frodsham, Dent and Smith & Sons. In 1885 Adolphe Nicole died and the company became Nicole Nielsen & Co. Ltd. The main shareholders were the North family and Harrison Mills Frodsham, the son and successor to the firm of Charles Frodsham. In 1899 Emil Nielsen died and in 1900 Robert Benson North took over as Managing Director and then Governing Director in 1910.
Charles Frodsham & Co.
The Frodsham business moved from New Bond Street, London, where it had traded since 1895, to premises at 27 South Molton Street, in 1914. It remained at this address until 1941 when the building was badly damaged during World War II. See: ‘The Frodshams, The Story of a Family of Clockmakers’, Vaudrey Mercer, The Antiquarian Horological Society, 1981.
We thank Richard Stenning of Charles Frodsham & Co. for his assistance in the research for the present lot.
The present clock, a brilliant and substantial silver Grande and Petite Sonnerie striking tourbillon ‘hump-back’ carriage clock was made by Nicole Nielsen for the revered London firm of Charles Frodsham & Co.
In 1914, Nicole, Nielsen & Co. were commissioned to make a small number of extraordinary carriage clocks, each with Grande Sonnerie striking and a tourbillon escapement. Their humpbacked form can be attributed to Abraham Louis and Antoine-Louis Breguet, who produced fine travel clocks including silver-cased ‘pendule portiques’ between 1812 -1830.
The exceptional specification and small size belie the incredible mechanical marvel within – featuring the delicate Grande Sonnerie strike work which is set beneath the dial. A large signed plate glazes almost the entire movement to the back of the clock, offering the user access to apertures for winding and hand-setting. A panel is keenly recessed to celebrate the Nicole Nielsen Type 1 tourbillon carriage with club-tooth lever escapement, and providing a stunning view of the impressive double barrel fusée-and-chain system delivering consistent power to the escapement.
The enamel dial, with its subtle Venetian tint and bold radial Arabic numerals, was likely crafted by the renowned London firm of Willis, celebrated as the foremost maker of dials for leading English watchmakers such as Charles Frodsham. The two smaller dials below display the state of winding for the 7-day power reserve, and strike selection with the choice of: Strike / Full Strike / Silent / Quarters.
Although perhaps apocryphal, legend has it that a group of seven of these complicated Nicole Nielsen clocks were specially commissioned by an individual client, six of which he presented to his favorite girlfriends whilst keeping the seventh for himself. The present clock is one of only three known examples made for Charles Frodsham, the present clock and two with perpetual calendar functions
The present lot is illustrated in Meis, Reinhard, Das Tourbillon, p. 332-333.
Nicole Nielsen
In 1839 Adolphe Nicole and Jules Capt, both talented Swiss watchmakers, set up business in London at 80B Dean Street. The firm later moved to 14 Soho Square where it remained until the company finally closed in 1934. Nicole & Capt were highly successful and won medals in many international exhibitions such as Paris in 1855 and 1867, Philadelphia in 1878 and Sydney in 1879. In 1876 Jules Capt died and in the same year his place as partner was filled by the Danish-born watchmaker Sophus Emil Nielsen and the company became Nicole, Nielsen & Co. and by 1880 the company was being run by Nielsen. They specialised in making super-complicated keyless watches often incorporating specifications such as perpetual calendar, chronograph, split seconds chronograph, repetition, temperature, equation of time and their most famous escapement; the Nicole Nielsen tourbillon. Invented by Breguet (1747-1823), the tourbillon is an escapement that revolves so that the balance pallets and escape wheel move through all the vertical positions in a given time period, usually once every minute. Delicate, expensive and fascinating to observe the tourbillon was Nicole, Nielsen's specialty. The Company designed their own tourbillon carriage that is today instantly recognisable and revered by collectors.
Many of their best watches were made for top retailers such as Frodsham, Dent and Smith & Sons. In 1885 Adolphe Nicole died and the company became Nicole Nielsen & Co. Ltd. The main shareholders were the North family and Harrison Mills Frodsham, the son and successor to the firm of Charles Frodsham. In 1899 Emil Nielsen died and in 1900 Robert Benson North took over as Managing Director and then Governing Director in 1910.
Charles Frodsham & Co.
The Frodsham business moved from New Bond Street, London, where it had traded since 1895, to premises at 27 South Molton Street, in 1914. It remained at this address until 1941 when the building was badly damaged during World War II. See: ‘The Frodshams, The Story of a Family of Clockmakers’, Vaudrey Mercer, The Antiquarian Horological Society, 1981.
We thank Richard Stenning of Charles Frodsham & Co. for his assistance in the research for the present lot.