Lot Essay
A.B. Smalley & Son are recorded as Nautical Opticians at St. John's, New Brunswick, Canada circa 1890.
In the 1907-1908 Board of Admiralty chronometer trial held at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich they entered a two-day chornometer No. 3708 which was placed sixth out of the fifteen submitted. Under the heading "Construction of Balance" the published record of the trial reads "Smalley's auxiliary balance" and gives their address as "69 LInton Street, Islington, London N."
Later in the 1910-1911 trial they entered their No. 3711 where it was placed thirtieth out of thrity-three submitted. The description of its balance is the same as that for No. 3708 but their address is now given as "St. John's, New Brunswick."
The frames, dial-plates, the back of the dial, the bowl and the underside of the balance cross-arm are all numbered 2022. The dial side of the pillar-plate is punchmarked "J.P." this being the mark of Joseph Preston, chronometer frame-maker, of Prescot, Lancashrire.
The Horological Journal, July 1902 records "Mr A.B. Smalley, formerly of London, but now a leading watchmaker of St. John's, New Brunswick, has just completed a three months' holiday here, and sailed from Liverpool on his homeward journey on Tuesday, June 17th. He was accompanied by his wife, a Canadian lady, who undertook the trip in order to experience the delights of a warm and agreeable English spring. Needless to say, she was woefully disappointed."
In the 1907-1908 Board of Admiralty chronometer trial held at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich they entered a two-day chornometer No. 3708 which was placed sixth out of the fifteen submitted. Under the heading "Construction of Balance" the published record of the trial reads "Smalley's auxiliary balance" and gives their address as "69 LInton Street, Islington, London N."
Later in the 1910-1911 trial they entered their No. 3711 where it was placed thirtieth out of thrity-three submitted. The description of its balance is the same as that for No. 3708 but their address is now given as "St. John's, New Brunswick."
The frames, dial-plates, the back of the dial, the bowl and the underside of the balance cross-arm are all numbered 2022. The dial side of the pillar-plate is punchmarked "J.P." this being the mark of Joseph Preston, chronometer frame-maker, of Prescot, Lancashrire.
The Horological Journal, July 1902 records "Mr A.B. Smalley, formerly of London, but now a leading watchmaker of St. John's, New Brunswick, has just completed a three months' holiday here, and sailed from Liverpool on his homeward journey on Tuesday, June 17th. He was accompanied by his wife, a Canadian lady, who undertook the trip in order to experience the delights of a warm and agreeable English spring. Needless to say, she was woefully disappointed."