Lot 115

115

A GEORGE II BRASS-MOUNTED GREEN AND GILT-JAPANNED QUARTER-CHIMING ASTRONOMICAL TABLE CLOCK

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PROPERTY FROM A DISTINGUISHED PRIVATE COLLECTION (LOTS 115-116)

A GEORGE II BRASS-MOUNTED GREEN AND GILT-JAPANNED QUARTER-CHIMING ASTRONOMICAL TABLE CLOCK

JOHN ELLICOTT, LONDON, CIRCA 1760

Details

A GEORGE II BRASS-MOUNTED GREEN AND GILT-JAPANNED QUARTER-CHIMING ASTRONOMICAL TABLE CLOCK
JOHN ELLICOTT, LONDON, CIRCA 1760
CASE: with inverted bell top, tiered sound frets, surmounted by revolving moon painted to show its phases, with flaming urn finials and caryatids trailing flowers to all angles, the sides with brass handles above glazed panels, on brass scroll feet; mounts re-gilt, paintwork refreshed DIAL: the 9 in. brass dial with scroll and foliate spandrels to the engraved and silvered chapter ring, with wheat ear engraved border to the arch, signed Ellicott London between silvered rings showing lunar date and annual calendar (Spanish inscriptions for the months), the latter arch also showing the zodiacal calendar, sunrise and sunset, and the declination of the sun above the equator MOVEMENT: eight day duration with six knopped pillars, triple line fusees with verge escapement, chiming the quarters on a nest of eight bells and the hours on further bell, with trip repeat, the back plate engraved with scrolls and with a flowering basket, signed Ellicott/London; with case key and winding key
32 ¼ in. (82 cm.) high; 17 ¼ in. (44 cm.) wide; 11 in. (28 cm.) deep

Provenance

The Time Museum, Rockford, Illinois, inv' `no. A586', until sold;
Masterpieces from the Time Museum, Sotheby's, New York, 2 December 1999, lot 79 ($51,750 including premium), where acquired by the present owner.

Literature

P. Heuer & K. Maurice, Europäische Pendeluhren, Munich, 1988, pp. 148-149, figs. 281-282.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Brought to you by

Peter Horwood

phorwood@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2359

Lot Essay

John Ellicott (1706-1772) was one of the finest clockmakers of the 18th Century. In circa 1728, he took premises in Sweetings Alley, near the Royal Exchange. By 1738, at the age of 32, he had already made his mark and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, later serving on its council for three years. He kept good company, with his sponsors to the society including the globe maker John Senex and the astronomers John Hadley and James Ferguson. He also had an observatory at his home in Hackney. In 1760 his son Edward joined the business and in 1762 he was appointed Clockmaker to the King.

The distinctive revolving moon to the top of the present clock may be compared with one on a walnut musical table clock by Ellicott sold from the property of a gentleman, Christie's, London, 13 December 2000, lot 101 (£80,750). Although flaming urn finials and caryatid mounts can be seen on cases by a number of clockmakers during this period, the inset foliate cast scroll feet are typically 'Ellicott'. All of these features can be seen on a mahogany quarter-chiming clock sold Christie's, London, 1 July 2008, lot 38 and also on an ebonised quarter-chiming clock sold Christie's, South Kensington, 18 December 2002, lot 525.

Sophisticated astronomical dial work such as on the present clock is rarely found on English 18th Century table clocks.

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