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Lot Essay
George Graham (1673-1751) was one of the finest English clockmakers of the early 18th Century, and both partnered and succeeded Thomas Tompion (1631-1713). The present clock shows many typical Graham features but is in other ways unusual. The refined features one might expect include: the finely cast and gilded mounts; a silver-mounted dial; the fully latched movement with all racks and cocks beautifully chamfered. Other features are more specific to this clock. The case is of typical, but slightly smaller, Tompion/Graham Phase Three design, albeit without a handle. The movement, with all its refinements, is somewhat more 'rugged' in its design than usual. The front and back plates are secured by four substantial square sectioned pillars, which are joined by additional top and bottom plates making the whole structure quite solid and rigid. Lee writes (op.cit.), 'This was without doubt a travelling clock, originally with an outer case, as no carrying handle has been fitted and underneath are fittings for securing screws. The dial with silver spandrels has a subsidiary setting the alarm and simple hands of regulator type which are apparently original'.
Travel clocks from this period are rare, with one by Graham being even more so. There are a few examples by Tompion including a miniature movement illustrated by Symonds (Thomas Tompion, His Life and Work, London, 1951, pp. 125-126, 287, figs. 156, 212, 228, 229). Dated 1693 and possibly made for William III, it is regulated by balance for travel but can be switched to pendulum for better timekeeping when stationary. The back plate is unadorned, as with the present clock, except for Tompion's signature and its date. A further travel clock by Tompion, known as The Giffard Tompion (illustrated Dawson Drover Parkes, Early English Clocks, Woodbridge, 1982, p. 437, plate 22), formerly grande sonnerie with alarm, also has switchable escapements. Interestingly the dial subsidiaries on that clock are designed to be set with a male-ended key as is the alarm disc on the present clock.
Most makers reserved silver mounts for their finer work. However, the dial on this clock is typical of those by Graham, with its silver mask and foliate spandrels. For other examples see: Graham No. 615, silver-mounted timepiece, anonymous sale, Christie's London, 2 July 2004, lot 140 and a silver-mounted striking clock, anonymous sale, Christie's London, 15 September 2004, lot 18.
In 1958 this clock was exhibited alongside the Mostyn Tompion, arguably the most important English clock of all time, a juxtaposition which perhaps reflects its importance as an example of Graham's clockmaking.
George Graham (1673-1751) was the son of a Quaker farmer from Cumberland. He was apprenticed in July 1688 to Henry Aske and Free of the Clockmakers' Company in 1695. He established a considerable name for himself whilst serving under Aske and upon being Freed immediately began working as a journeyman for Thomas Tompion (1631-1713). In 1704 he married Tompion's niece Elizabeth and took over the company on Tompion's death, moving to the Dial and One Crown in 1720.720. Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society, producing several papers on both science and horology and is responsible for several inventions including the deadbeat escapement in 1715, the mercury pendulum in 1726 and the cylinder escapement. In 1730 Graham became a patron to John Harrison and gave him a substantial loan for him to continue his work towards the longitude prize.
Travel clocks from this period are rare, with one by Graham being even more so. There are a few examples by Tompion including a miniature movement illustrated by Symonds (Thomas Tompion, His Life and Work, London, 1951, pp. 125-126, 287, figs. 156, 212, 228, 229). Dated 1693 and possibly made for William III, it is regulated by balance for travel but can be switched to pendulum for better timekeeping when stationary. The back plate is unadorned, as with the present clock, except for Tompion's signature and its date. A further travel clock by Tompion, known as The Giffard Tompion (illustrated Dawson Drover Parkes, Early English Clocks, Woodbridge, 1982, p. 437, plate 22), formerly grande sonnerie with alarm, also has switchable escapements. Interestingly the dial subsidiaries on that clock are designed to be set with a male-ended key as is the alarm disc on the present clock.
Most makers reserved silver mounts for their finer work. However, the dial on this clock is typical of those by Graham, with its silver mask and foliate spandrels. For other examples see: Graham No. 615, silver-mounted timepiece, anonymous sale, Christie's London, 2 July 2004, lot 140 and a silver-mounted striking clock, anonymous sale, Christie's London, 15 September 2004, lot 18.
In 1958 this clock was exhibited alongside the Mostyn Tompion, arguably the most important English clock of all time, a juxtaposition which perhaps reflects its importance as an example of Graham's clockmaking.
George Graham (1673-1751) was the son of a Quaker farmer from Cumberland. He was apprenticed in July 1688 to Henry Aske and Free of the Clockmakers' Company in 1695. He established a considerable name for himself whilst serving under Aske and upon being Freed immediately began working as a journeyman for Thomas Tompion (1631-1713). In 1704 he married Tompion's niece Elizabeth and took over the company on Tompion's death, moving to the Dial and One Crown in 1720.720. Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society, producing several papers on both science and horology and is responsible for several inventions including the deadbeat escapement in 1715, the mercury pendulum in 1726 and the cylinder escapement. In 1730 Graham became a patron to John Harrison and gave him a substantial loan for him to continue his work towards the longitude prize.