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Lot Essay
James Cox (1723-1800) was gifted jeweller, clock and automaton manufacturer and entrepreneur. Between 1766-1772 he made and exported objets d'art to the value of £750,000. In China 'sing-songs' (automaton clocks), were given in tribute to the Emperor Qianlong and his court. Consequently, the finest collection of such pieces by Cox and his competitors is still to be found in the Palace Museum, Beijing For the history of Cox's enterprise, see R. Smith, 'James Cox: A Revised Biography', Burlington Magazine, June 2000, 353-361.
Although Cox's clocks varied in size, complexity and design it is clear that he used an assemblage of stock components to create each individual item. The present clock, although unsigned, is very typical of his work. A signed Cox clock of closely related design but with moonphase in its base rather than a whirligig and additionally set upon a miniature agate cage-work cabinet, was sold as part of the Palace Collections of Egypt, Sotheby's London, 24-25 March 1954, lot 617. That clock was later exhibited by C. and H. Wartski, London at the Third International Art Treasures Exhibition, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2 March -- 29 April 1962, Exhibit no. 224. A further example, also mounted on a miniature cabinet, is in a private Spanish collection. That clock has an engraved silver panel to its reverse which is identical to that on the present clock. The present example may well also have been intended to sit on a cabinet; there are securing holes to its feet for such use. However, it is complete as is so it may also have been sold by Cox as a less grand production, possibly to a domestic customer.
For a more elaborate Cox 'cabinet' clock see also the gold, ormolu and agate automaton and musical necessaire clock sold from the property of the Duke of Westminster, Christie's London, 7 June 2007, lot 325 (£356,000).
Although Cox's clocks varied in size, complexity and design it is clear that he used an assemblage of stock components to create each individual item. The present clock, although unsigned, is very typical of his work. A signed Cox clock of closely related design but with moonphase in its base rather than a whirligig and additionally set upon a miniature agate cage-work cabinet, was sold as part of the Palace Collections of Egypt, Sotheby's London, 24-25 March 1954, lot 617. That clock was later exhibited by C. and H. Wartski, London at the Third International Art Treasures Exhibition, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2 March -- 29 April 1962, Exhibit no. 224. A further example, also mounted on a miniature cabinet, is in a private Spanish collection. That clock has an engraved silver panel to its reverse which is identical to that on the present clock. The present example may well also have been intended to sit on a cabinet; there are securing holes to its feet for such use. However, it is complete as is so it may also have been sold by Cox as a less grand production, possibly to a domestic customer.
For a more elaborate Cox 'cabinet' clock see also the gold, ormolu and agate automaton and musical necessaire clock sold from the property of the Duke of Westminster, Christie's London, 7 June 2007, lot 325 (£356,000).