A Victorian "H.M.S. Challenger Expedition" (1872-1976) Royal Observatory "Quick Train" two-day marine chronometer supplied by the Observatory in 1907 to William Lindqvist for use with his newly designed chronograph No. 2

ROBERT PENNINGTON, NO. 241, CIRCA 1840

Details
A Victorian "H.M.S. Challenger Expedition" (1872-1976) Royal Observatory "Quick Train" two-day marine chronometer supplied by the Observatory in 1907 to William Lindqvist for use with his newly designed chronograph No. 2
Robert Pennington, No. 241, circa 1840
The silvered dial signed Robert Pennington, London No. 241 and with the Government Mark, Roman hour numerals, subsidiary seconds and up-and-down dials, blued steel hands, the top-plate incised with the Government Mark, 18,000 count Earnshaw escapement, cut bimetallic Pennington balance with peripheral screws, dovetail spring detent with jewelled locking stone, the whole now with electrical contacts operating via additional 30 tooth wheel mounted on fourth wheel arbor, in brass bowl with external electric terminals, now mounted in a neat small three-piece mahogany box with external drop handles
90 mm. dial diam., 147 x 149 x 100 mm. box

Lot Essay

This chronometer was issued by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 22 November 872 to H.M.S. Challenger for her voyage of scientific discovery: it was returned from her 9 June 1876.

CHRONOGRAPHS
In the early years of the 20th Century there was great competition between the leading chronometer makers to design a chronograph which, when used in conjunction with a marine chronometer fitted with special electrical contacts, could make on paper a permanent recording of G.M.T., an increasing necessity for both Hydrographic and Ordnance Surveyors. Thomas Mercer, Victor Kullberg and William Lindqvist were all striving towards this goal. In his letter of 21 January 1908 the Hydrographer of the Navy requested the Astronomer Royal; Will you be good enough to deliver to Mr Lindqvist, Chronometer, Pennington 241, in order that he may fit it with his new Chronograph attachment. Lindqvist did this and thereafter used it with his Chronograph No. 2. It appears from correspondence in January 1908 between Lindqvist, the Astronomer Royal, and the Hydrographer of the Navy, that it was agreed to purchase for £57 Lindqvist's Chronograph No. 2 with Pennington's No. 241, it having now been fitted by Lindqvist with the necessary electrical contacts of his design.

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