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Lot Essay
Nickel (also known as 'German silver') carriage clocks by Dent are rare. Including the present example, it is believed there are just eight such clocks and one other by Edward White. They are among the finest carriage clocks ever made by the Dents, and all by them have chronometer escapements. Of the nine clocks, six have the split handle seen on the present clock and three have a fixed polygonal handle (see full listing at end of note). In recent years just three have appeared at auction: a split handle carriage clock (No. 692), by Edward White, sold from the collection of Sir James Stirling, Christie's London, 29 April 2010, lot 119 (£52,850); a fixed handle carriage clock with prismatic balance (No. 1392) sold anonymously, Christie's London, 1 July 2008, lot 29 (£43,250); and the present carriage clock (No. 14806), sold anonymously Christie's London, 15 September 2004, lot 26 (£48,000), previously, the Vitale Collection, Christie's London, 26 November 1996, lot 209 (£87,300).
Nickel-cased carriage clocks were amongst the finest produced and an 1873 Dent price list gives a price of 40 to 55 guineas for a striking example with lever escapement (see Roberts, Carriage and Other Travelling Clocks, Atglen, 1993 p. 308). To put this in perspective, a good quality French timepiece carriage clock would be offered by the firm at 6 guineas.
The nickel carriage clocks currently recorded are:
No. 1392. Signed Frederick Dent, 61 Strand & 54 Royal Exchange, London.
Features: spade hands, foliate mask, polygonal handle, timepiece, prismatic balance.
Christie's London, 1 July 2008, lot 29.
No. 1458. Signed: F. Dent, 61 Strand & 34 Royal Exchange, London. Features: spade hands, foliate mask, polygonal handle
John Carlton Smith advertisement, Antiquarian Horology, December 1982, p.519
No. 1567. Signed: Dent, 61 Strand & 34 Royal Exchange, London. Features: spade hands, foliate mask, polygonal handle, with presentation inscription, timepiece, Type B prismatic balance
Keith Banham advertisement, Antiquarian Horology, Autumn 1979, p.463; Phillips London, 16 October 1980, lot 61; Roberts, p.306
No. 14806. (the present clock). Signed: Dent, London.
Features: moon hands, foliate mask, split handle, quarter striking, Dent patent double staple balance
Christie's London, The Vitale Collection of Highly Important European Clocks, Part II, 26 November 1996, lot 209; Christie's London, Magnificent Clocks, 15 September 2004, lot 26
No. 14880. Signed: Dent, London.
Features: moon hands, foliate mask, split handle, quarter striking, Dent patent double staple balance
C. Allix & P. Bonnert, Carriage Clocks, Their History and Development, Woodbridge, 1974, p.258
No. 15956. Signed: E.J. Dent, London.
Features: fleur-de-lys hands, engine-turned mask, split handle, striking and repeating, Dent patent double staple balance
Private Collection
No. 17783. Signed: Dent, London.
Features: moon hands, foliate mask, split handle, striking and repeating, alarm, Dent patent double staple balance
Roberts, pp.312-313
No. 25712. Signed: Dent, 33 Cockspur Street, London.
Features: moon hands, engine-turned mask, split handle, striking
Roberts, pp.314-315
No. 692. Signed E. White, 20 Cockspur Street, London.
Features: spade hands, engine-turned mask, split handle, striking and repeating, under slung lever balance, Christie's London, The Property of Sir James Stirling, 29 April 2010.
Nickel-cased carriage clocks were amongst the finest produced and an 1873 Dent price list gives a price of 40 to 55 guineas for a striking example with lever escapement (see Roberts, Carriage and Other Travelling Clocks, Atglen, 1993 p. 308). To put this in perspective, a good quality French timepiece carriage clock would be offered by the firm at 6 guineas.
The nickel carriage clocks currently recorded are:
No. 1392. Signed Frederick Dent, 61 Strand & 54 Royal Exchange, London.
Features: spade hands, foliate mask, polygonal handle, timepiece, prismatic balance.
Christie's London, 1 July 2008, lot 29.
No. 1458. Signed: F. Dent, 61 Strand & 34 Royal Exchange, London. Features: spade hands, foliate mask, polygonal handle
John Carlton Smith advertisement, Antiquarian Horology, December 1982, p.519
No. 1567. Signed: Dent, 61 Strand & 34 Royal Exchange, London. Features: spade hands, foliate mask, polygonal handle, with presentation inscription, timepiece, Type B prismatic balance
Keith Banham advertisement, Antiquarian Horology, Autumn 1979, p.463; Phillips London, 16 October 1980, lot 61; Roberts, p.306
No. 14806. (the present clock). Signed: Dent, London.
Features: moon hands, foliate mask, split handle, quarter striking, Dent patent double staple balance
Christie's London, The Vitale Collection of Highly Important European Clocks, Part II, 26 November 1996, lot 209; Christie's London, Magnificent Clocks, 15 September 2004, lot 26
No. 14880. Signed: Dent, London.
Features: moon hands, foliate mask, split handle, quarter striking, Dent patent double staple balance
C. Allix & P. Bonnert, Carriage Clocks, Their History and Development, Woodbridge, 1974, p.258
No. 15956. Signed: E.J. Dent, London.
Features: fleur-de-lys hands, engine-turned mask, split handle, striking and repeating, Dent patent double staple balance
Private Collection
No. 17783. Signed: Dent, London.
Features: moon hands, foliate mask, split handle, striking and repeating, alarm, Dent patent double staple balance
Roberts, pp.312-313
No. 25712. Signed: Dent, 33 Cockspur Street, London.
Features: moon hands, engine-turned mask, split handle, striking
Roberts, pp.314-315
No. 692. Signed E. White, 20 Cockspur Street, London.
Features: spade hands, engine-turned mask, split handle, striking and repeating, under slung lever balance, Christie's London, The Property of Sir James Stirling, 29 April 2010.