A GEORGE III MAHOGANY MUSICAL AUTOMATON BRACKET CLOCK

BY EARDLEY NORTON, LONDON

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A GEORGE III MAHOGANY MUSICAL AUTOMATON BRACKET CLOCK
BY EARDLEY NORTON, LONDON
THE CASE WITH HANDLE TO BELL TOP WITH FOUR PINECONE FINIALS, GILT-MOUNTED TRAILING FLORAL CARYATIDS TO THE ANGLES, THE FRONT DOOR WITH FOLIATE PIERCED AND ENGRAVED QUARTER FRETS, LATER FRETS TO THE SIDES, BRASS-BOUND BASE ON BRACKET FEET THE SHALLOW-ARCHED DIAL SIGNED EARDLEY NORTON/ST. JOHN'S STREET/LONDON, ON A SILVERED SECTOR IN THE MATTED CENTRE WITH CALENDAR APERTURE, BLUED STEEL HANDS (LATER MINUTE HAND), FOLIATE SPANDRELS, SILVERED CHAPTER RING, SUBSIDIARY RINGS FOR CHIME/SILENT AND FOUR TUNE MUSIC SELECTION, THE ARCH PAINTED WITH A PERIOD GARDEN PARTY WITH AN AUTOMATON MUSICAL TRIO PLAYING THE VIOLIN, GUITAR AND CELLO, THE SIX PILLAR TRIPLE FUSEE MOVEMENT WITH VERGE ESCAPEMENT, STRIKE ON BELL AND PLAYING MUSIC ON A NEST OF NINE BELLS VIA FIFTEEN HAMMERS, FOLIATE ENGRAVED BACKPLATE WITH PENDULUM HOLDFAST AND SIMILARLY ENGRAVED SECURING BRACKETS
52CM. HIGH

Lot Essay

EARDLEY NORTON (ACTIVE 1760-1794) OF 49 ST. JOHN STREET, CLERKENWELL, WAS A HIGHLY RESPECTED MAKER OF MUSICAL AND ASTRONOMICAL CLOCKS AND WATCHES. HE WAS IN FACT COMMISIONED TO MAKE AN ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK FOR KING GEORGE III, WHICH NOW STANDS IN BUCKINGHAM PALACE. IN 1771 HE PATENTED (NO. 987) A CLOCK WHICH STRIKES THE HOURS AND PARTS UPON A PRINCIPLE ENTIRELY NEW; AND A WATCH WHICH REPEATS THE HOURS AND PARTS, SO CONCISELY CONTRIVED AND DISPOSED AS TO ADMIT OF BEING CONVENIENTLY CONTAINED NOT ONLY IN A WATCH, BUT ALSO IN ITS APPENDAGE, SUCH AS A KEY, SEAL, OR TRINKET. (F.J. BRITTEN, OLD CLOCKS AND WATCHES & THEIR MAKERS, 1983. P.480)

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