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A late Victorian rosewood eight-day marine chronometer with Frodsham's double compound micrometric balance

CHARLES FRODSHAM NO. 3590. CIRCA 1890

Details

A late Victorian rosewood eight-day marine chronometer with Frodsham's double compound micrometric balance
Charles Frodsham No. 3590. Circa 1890
The circular silvered Roman and Arabic dial signed CHARLES FRODSHAM, 84 STRAND, LONDON. NO.3590, up/down (0-8) sector at XII, flanked by garter medals engraved BY APPOINTMENT TO THE QUEEN and GOLD MEDALS OF HONOUR, FRENCH RUSSIAN ITALIAN, seconds ring at VI, delicate blued steel hands, the movement with spotted plates, main frame assembly with reversed fusee and barrel and centre wheel, signed on the top plate Charles Frodsham & Co. LONDON No.3590, the sub-frame assembly carrying the remainder of the train and with chain guard, Earnshaw type spring detent escapement with spring foot detent and jewelled locking stone, blued steel helical spring and Frodsham's compound micrometric balance, brass bowl (lacking winding hole slide cover), the brass-bound box with bone plaque to the centre section engraved CHAS. FRODSHAM. 84. STRAND LONDON. NO.3590. EIGHT DAYS, brass drop handles to the sides and vacant brass plaque to the top lid
122mm. dial diameter; 210mm. square box

Literature

Vaudrey Mercer, The Frodshams, Antiquarian Horological Society, 1981, Thanet, pp.116 & 405, pl.62 & 63.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

Frodsham's unique compound micrometric balance was only ever employed in the company's finest marine chronometers and carriage clocks. It was originally exhibited in the Great International Exhibition of 1862 in South Kensington and three variants were exhibited, all hybrids of the present balance. Frodshams continued to make changes to the balance for the next 50 years. Vaudrey Mercer (op. cit.) illustrates two very similar balances to the present example, one for a carriage clock No.1560, the other a diagram of the balance found in marine chronometer No.3593.
The famous company of Charles Frodsham of 84 Strand changed their name to Charles Frodsham & Co. in 1894. The reason for doing his seems unclear but Mercer suggests that it may have been when George Moore became a pertner or perhaps when Sophus Emil Nielsen, the famous watchmaker was made a director of the firm.

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