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拍品專文
A ROYAL COMMISSION
This clock is likely to have formed part of the clock collection of George III, the British monarch with a keen interest in horology. The signature of its maker, Justin Vulliamy (1712-1797) on the back-plate, dates it between 1764, when Vulliamy's father-in-law and senior partner Benjamin Gray, died, and about 1780, when the firm's signature changed to a simple 'Vulliamy', probably in recognition of his son Benjamin Vulliamy (1747-1811) becoming a partner. Stylistically, the case is consistent with the date of the movement. The ormolu mounts, in particular the laurel swags, are in the early neo-classical style of the late 1760s, and relate to French neo-classicism. The porcelain dial, dating to the late 1760s, is German and appears to have been pierced specifically to fit this movement, suggesting it too formed part of the commmission.
This clock is extremely unusual in the Vulliamy oeuvre of this period: the use of tortoiseshell for the case; the small size; and the rare use of a decorated porcelain dial. It may well be unique among 18th Century Vulliamy products and makes it even more likely that early references to such elements (particularly the porcelain dial), do indeed refer to this clock.
From the late 18th Century to the mid-19th Century, the Vulliamys were the Royal Clockmakers and consequently were frequently asked to clean and overhaul clocks from the Royal palaces. There is a reference in the Vulliamy Day Book to a charge being made to the Lord Chamberlain's Office, on behalf of the King, on 18 December 1802, for 'cleaning and mending a small spring clock in a tortoiseshell case name Vulliamy London' (National Archives, PRO, C104/58). Although there was at least one other Vulliamy clock in a tortoiseshell case in the Royal Collection at this date, it was larger, so it is more likely that it refers to the present clock. It was Timothy Clifford (op. cit.) who first linked the present clock, sold at Sotheby's in 1963, with lot 107 in the famous sale of the Duke of Sussex's clocks and watches at Christie's, London, on 4 July 1843. The catalogue entry is unusually detailed for the period and reads: 'A beautiful small eight-day striking clock, by Vulliamy, in tortoiseshell case, with festoons and mouldings richly chased in or-molu, with a Dresden face. The clock formerly belonged to George III'. It was bought at the sale by then current head of the Vulliamy firm, Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780-1854), who had probably been involved in helping the duke put together his collection. Vulliamy paid the high price of £28, suggesting he had no doubts as to its importance in his grandfather's output. In the absence of a serial number and the lack of Vulliamy records dating from its manufacture, one can only go by the brief descriptions detailed above. However, given its rarity, one can be fairly confident that they refer to the present clock.
THE DESIGN OF THE CASE
The beautiful tabernacle clock-case of ormolu-enriched and marble-figured tortoiseshell, recalling the nature deity Venus, is designed in the mid-l8th century French antique or Grecian fashion. Lyric poetry is celebrated by its golden sphere-capped sacred urn, that is gadrooned with Pan reeds and crowns its rural ogival-waved and acanthus-flowered dome; while the triumph of the sun-god Apollo, as poetry deity, is recalled by its trellised bas-releifs of laurel baguetttes. Laurels, pinned to the cut corners reed-enriched and antique-fluted pilasters, provide a triumphal festoon for the porcelain clock-face, whose pastoral vignette is wreathed by the hours in cerulean-blue Roman numerals. Roman acanthus, wraps the serpentined lambrequin of its stepped plinth and the involuted scrolls of its trussed feet, and provides the antique scrolled rainceaux filigree for the sides silk-lined tablets, while flowered and laurel-enriched acanthus wreaths the signature of the Swiss-born court clock-maker, Justin Vulliamy (d. 1797), on the finely engraved back-plate.
The clock's laurelled-medallion façade reflects the influence of the Rome-trained court architect Sir William Chambers (d. 1796), and the laurels can be seen in his designs for the state coach and a domed and shell-veneered clock executed in the 1760s for George III (J. Harris, Sir William Chambers, London, 1970, figs. 129-134). Chambers' influence can also be recognized in another of Vulliamy's clocks, with urn-decked and turtleshell-veneered case, supplied to George III (C. Jagger, Royal Clocks, 1983, fig. 121).
We are grateful to Roger Smith for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.
This clock is likely to have formed part of the clock collection of George III, the British monarch with a keen interest in horology. The signature of its maker, Justin Vulliamy (1712-1797) on the back-plate, dates it between 1764, when Vulliamy's father-in-law and senior partner Benjamin Gray, died, and about 1780, when the firm's signature changed to a simple 'Vulliamy', probably in recognition of his son Benjamin Vulliamy (1747-1811) becoming a partner. Stylistically, the case is consistent with the date of the movement. The ormolu mounts, in particular the laurel swags, are in the early neo-classical style of the late 1760s, and relate to French neo-classicism. The porcelain dial, dating to the late 1760s, is German and appears to have been pierced specifically to fit this movement, suggesting it too formed part of the commmission.
This clock is extremely unusual in the Vulliamy oeuvre of this period: the use of tortoiseshell for the case; the small size; and the rare use of a decorated porcelain dial. It may well be unique among 18th Century Vulliamy products and makes it even more likely that early references to such elements (particularly the porcelain dial), do indeed refer to this clock.
From the late 18th Century to the mid-19th Century, the Vulliamys were the Royal Clockmakers and consequently were frequently asked to clean and overhaul clocks from the Royal palaces. There is a reference in the Vulliamy Day Book to a charge being made to the Lord Chamberlain's Office, on behalf of the King, on 18 December 1802, for 'cleaning and mending a small spring clock in a tortoiseshell case name Vulliamy London' (National Archives, PRO, C104/58). Although there was at least one other Vulliamy clock in a tortoiseshell case in the Royal Collection at this date, it was larger, so it is more likely that it refers to the present clock. It was Timothy Clifford (op. cit.) who first linked the present clock, sold at Sotheby's in 1963, with lot 107 in the famous sale of the Duke of Sussex's clocks and watches at Christie's, London, on 4 July 1843. The catalogue entry is unusually detailed for the period and reads: 'A beautiful small eight-day striking clock, by Vulliamy, in tortoiseshell case, with festoons and mouldings richly chased in or-molu, with a Dresden face. The clock formerly belonged to George III'. It was bought at the sale by then current head of the Vulliamy firm, Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780-1854), who had probably been involved in helping the duke put together his collection. Vulliamy paid the high price of £28, suggesting he had no doubts as to its importance in his grandfather's output. In the absence of a serial number and the lack of Vulliamy records dating from its manufacture, one can only go by the brief descriptions detailed above. However, given its rarity, one can be fairly confident that they refer to the present clock.
THE DESIGN OF THE CASE
The beautiful tabernacle clock-case of ormolu-enriched and marble-figured tortoiseshell, recalling the nature deity Venus, is designed in the mid-l8th century French antique or Grecian fashion. Lyric poetry is celebrated by its golden sphere-capped sacred urn, that is gadrooned with Pan reeds and crowns its rural ogival-waved and acanthus-flowered dome; while the triumph of the sun-god Apollo, as poetry deity, is recalled by its trellised bas-releifs of laurel baguetttes. Laurels, pinned to the cut corners reed-enriched and antique-fluted pilasters, provide a triumphal festoon for the porcelain clock-face, whose pastoral vignette is wreathed by the hours in cerulean-blue Roman numerals. Roman acanthus, wraps the serpentined lambrequin of its stepped plinth and the involuted scrolls of its trussed feet, and provides the antique scrolled rainceaux filigree for the sides silk-lined tablets, while flowered and laurel-enriched acanthus wreaths the signature of the Swiss-born court clock-maker, Justin Vulliamy (d. 1797), on the finely engraved back-plate.
The clock's laurelled-medallion façade reflects the influence of the Rome-trained court architect Sir William Chambers (d. 1796), and the laurels can be seen in his designs for the state coach and a domed and shell-veneered clock executed in the 1760s for George III (J. Harris, Sir William Chambers, London, 1970, figs. 129-134). Chambers' influence can also be recognized in another of Vulliamy's clocks, with urn-decked and turtleshell-veneered case, supplied to George III (C. Jagger, Royal Clocks, 1983, fig. 121).
We are grateful to Roger Smith for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.