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Lot 114 THE ILBERT COLLECTION
Michael Inchbald’s uncle Courtenay Adrian Ilbert (1888-1956) formed one of the greatest horological collections of the 20th century. It comprised some 2,300 watches, 210 clocks and 40 marine chronometers. He began collecting clocks and watches whilst still at Eton and after retiring from his engineering career in the early 1930s devoted most of his life to his pursuit of horology. The Antiquarian Horological Society was founded in his dining room at Stanley House on 1st October 1953. The vast majority of the collection was catalogued for auction at Christie’s in 1958. Predominantly as a result of a generous donation, the sale was cancelled and the collection acquired by the British Museum, where it has received international acclaim ever since. Some sixty years later his name is still much revered in horological circles and his authority on the subject has seldom been surpassed. The following four lots and the brass ring dial (lot 26) were retained by the family and inherited by Michael Inchbald at Stanley House.
Michael Inchbald’s uncle Courtenay Adrian Ilbert (1888-1956) formed one of the greatest horological collections of the 20th century. It comprised some 2,300 watches, 210 clocks and 40 marine chronometers. He began collecting clocks and watches whilst still at Eton and after retiring from his engineering career in the early 1930s devoted most of his life to his pursuit of horology. The Antiquarian Horological Society was founded in his dining room at Stanley House on 1st October 1953. The vast majority of the collection was catalogued for auction at Christie’s in 1958. Predominantly as a result of a generous donation, the sale was cancelled and the collection acquired by the British Museum, where it has received international acclaim ever since. Some sixty years later his name is still much revered in horological circles and his authority on the subject has seldom been surpassed. The following four lots and the brass ring dial (lot 26) were retained by the family and inherited by Michael Inchbald at Stanley House.
A REGENCY BRASS-INLAID MAHOGANY LONGCASE REGULATOR
VULLIAMY, LONDON, CIRCA 1820, THE CASE BY T.N.LOWTHER
Closed22 January 2014
Price Realised
GBP 68,500
More Information
Specialist note
The case is stamped twice by Thomas Lowther, a case maker working at 14 Clerkenwell Close and later at 42 Red Lion Street Clerkenwell, London, circa 1807-1832. Lowther is listed amongst the crafsmen used by Vulliamy and recorded in the remaining Day Books (Public Records Office files C/104 57 and 58) (Francis Wadsworth 'Some Early 19th Century Workmen', Antiquarian Horology, vol. XIX, no. 4, pp. 401-412.)