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Lot Essay
Eardley Norton of 49 St. John Street, Clerkenwell, London was first recorded in 1762 he was registered in the Clockmakers' Company 1770-1792. A fine maker, Norton is particularly famous for his musical and astronomical clocks. A superb four-dial astronomical clock by him is in the British Royal Collection. His business was taken over on his death by Gravell and Tolkien.
Comparable four-train clocks by Eardley Norton are rare and this grand ormolu embellished case style is one of the most lavish to be recorded. The closest known to the present model was sold Christie's, London, 21 March 1968, lot 9, The Property of The late R.J.N. Parr Esq., of Eton College. One other similar clock has been noted in a European collection; althoughit does not have the outset columns it does have a comparable cupola cresting with original mahogany dome. Britten notes a four-train repeating musical clock in the possession of Mr J.E. Whiting, Andover, Massachusetts, being 28 inches high and playing eleven tunes. A mahogany case of similar form with outset columns and an organ movement is in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, supplied in 1792 to Catherine II for her palace apartments. An Eardley Norton four-train mahogany clock of plainer form was sold Christie's, London, 6 July 2001, lot 69 (£35,250).
Comparative literature
F.J. Britten Old Clocks and Watches & Their Makers, London, 1904.
Cedric Jagger, Royal Clocks, Hale, 1983, figs.151-152
Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume The Musical Clock, Ashbourne, 1995.
Comparable four-train clocks by Eardley Norton are rare and this grand ormolu embellished case style is one of the most lavish to be recorded. The closest known to the present model was sold Christie's, London, 21 March 1968, lot 9, The Property of The late R.J.N. Parr Esq., of Eton College. One other similar clock has been noted in a European collection; althoughit does not have the outset columns it does have a comparable cupola cresting with original mahogany dome. Britten notes a four-train repeating musical clock in the possession of Mr J.E. Whiting, Andover, Massachusetts, being 28 inches high and playing eleven tunes. A mahogany case of similar form with outset columns and an organ movement is in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, supplied in 1792 to Catherine II for her palace apartments. An Eardley Norton four-train mahogany clock of plainer form was sold Christie's, London, 6 July 2001, lot 69 (£35,250).
Comparative literature
F.J. Britten Old Clocks and Watches & Their Makers, London, 1904.
Cedric Jagger, Royal Clocks, Hale, 1983, figs.151-152
Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume The Musical Clock, Ashbourne, 1995.