Live Auction 8023The Opulent Eye - 500 Years Decorative Arts Europe
AN UNUSUAL VICTORIAN BRASS QUARTER-CHIMING EIGHT DAY ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL SKELETON CLOCK
Lot 82

AN UNUSUAL VICTORIAN BRASS QUARTER-CHIMING EIGHT DAY ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL SKELETON CLOCK

ATTRIBUTED TO SMITH'S OF CLERKENWELL. CIRCA 1865

Closed22 September 2011

Price Realised

GBP 27,500

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AN UNUSUAL VICTORIAN BRASS QUARTER-CHIMING EIGHT DAY ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL SKELETON CLOCK
ATTRIBUTED TO SMITH'S OF CLERKENWELL. CIRCA 1865
DIAL: pierced, finely engraved and silvered chapter ring with coronets to each chapter, blued steel hands MOVEMENT: substantial scroll-pierced plates with two standing knights to each side, joined by seven turned and double-screwed pillars, triple chain fusees, train wheels with six crossings, anchor escapement, silvered and engraved strike/silent lever to upper right side, striking/trip repeating the quarters on eight bells within the 'dome' and with hour strike to a further bell behind; brass-cased cylindrical lead bob pendulum with fine calibration to the rod; on replaced velvet-covered, white marble and brass plinth and under later rectangular glass cover
28½ in. (72 cm.) high; 18½ in. (47 cm.) wide; 10 in. (25 cm.) deep

Specialist note

The St Paul's Cathedral is one of the least often seen of the Victorian 'architectural' skeleton clocks. Unlike the York Minster, Westminster Abbey and Brighton Pavilion models it appears very infrequently at auction and was almost certainly produced in far fewer numbers. Derek Roberts (British Skeleton Clocks, Woodbridge, 1987) illustrates just two examples that he was aware of at the time of writing (p. 75, fig. and p. 141, fig.a).