AN ENGLISH SMALL CHASED ORMOLU AND PASTE-SET QUARTER-STRIKING, MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON TABLE CLOCK

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AN ENGLISH SMALL CHASED ORMOLU AND PASTE-SET QUARTER-STRIKING, MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON TABLE CLOCK
HENRY BORRELL, LONDON. GEORGE III PERIOD (1760-1820), LATE 18TH CENTURY
CASE: on a stepped square platform base raised on four splayed feet terminating in balls, finely decorated with a geometric floral designs, with openwork mounts to each side of the plinth and silk-backed lattice-work sound frets centred by flowerhead bosses to the sides, all angles with projecting scroll and foliate mounts, the rear door with a silk-backed pierced ormolu panel, the faceted dome top flanked by elongated vase finials and surmounted by a painted and paste-set automaton feature

DIAL: with red paste-set bezel and convex glass to white enamel dial with Roman and Arabic chapters, ormolu pierced spade hands and ormolu seconds, adjusted by the paste-set knob to the left of the dial
AUTOMATON: hourly, or at will by depression of a lever to the right side of the case, the painted and part paste-set (formerly fully paste-set) flowering vase finial revolves; while music plays

MOVEMENT: the rectangular plates with cut upper corners, triple chain and fusees with dead beat escapement, quarter-striking with two hammers on two bells, one to the back plate and one to the rear of a nest of seven bells, the music via pinned barrel using the same seven bells with thirteen (formerly fourteen) hammers, playing one of two tunes selected by a paste-set knob to the front right of the case, with strike repeat lever to the left side of the dial and strike/silent lever above the dial at XII, the back plate with engraved border and with holdfast for steel rod pendulum and conforming engraving to the bob, signed H.y Borrell/LONDON

17 in. (43 cm.) high x 7½ in. (19 cm.) wide x 7½ in. (19 cm.) deep

Lot Essay

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Richard C R Barder, The Georgian Bracket Clock 1714-1830, Woodbridge, 1993

A table clock of related design, but without the automaton finial,is illustrated by Barder (p.173, pl.29). Another example, also unsigned and without automaton, was sold Christie's London, Important Clocks, 7 December 2005, lot 155. For further details on Henry Borrell see lot 1511.

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