Live Auction 1376Important Watches
Charles Frodsham. A fine, rare and large silver openface keywound pocket chronometer
Lot 313

Charles Frodsham. A fine, rare and large silver openface keywound pocket chronometer

SIGNED CHAS FRODSHAM, 84 STRAND, LONDON, NO. 01693, STAMPED WITH LONDON DATE LETTER FOR 1854

Closed15 November 2010

Price Realised

CHF 3,500

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Charles Frodsham. A fine, rare and large silver openface keywound pocket chronometer
Signed Chas Frodsham, 84 Strand, London, No. 01693, stamped with London date letter for 1854
Gilt-finished chain fusée movement, Earnshaw spring detent escapement, large bimetallic balance with cylindrical compensation weights, free sprung blued steel helical hairspring, diamond endstone, silver cuvette, white enamel dial, Roman numerals, subsidiary seconds, large plain circular case, engine-turned hinged back, case and cuvette numbered, stamped with casemaker's initials WB and London date letter for 1854, dial and movement signed and numbered
60 mm. diam.

Specialist note

Charles Frodsham (1810-1871) was a leading manufacturer of high-quality clocks, watches and chronometers and the last active member of a family that had played a prominent role in London clockmaking since the late 18th century. In 1840, he became a partner of John Roger Arnold who inherited his famous father's business.

At the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, Frodsham exhibited a three quarter plate calibre signed with the letters "AD. FMSZ", a cryptogram for the year 1850. The code is formed by the numerical sequence of the letters in "Frodsham," with a "Z" for zero. The firm subsequently used the code for its most important timepieces.