Not signed, England, circa 1825-30. A Congreve rolling-hall clock of the first generation. | Important Collectors Wristwatches Pocket Watches & Clocks | Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, 21st October 1995

Important Collectors Wristwatches Po...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 21, 1995

LOT 139

Not signed, England, circa 1825-30. A Congreve rolling-hall clock of the first generation.

CHF 60,000 - 70,000

C. Rectangular brass frame with tapering corner columns linking the upper and lower (rames, four spherical feet, the cohunns surmounted by fourfold steps, a sphere and a pinnacle. Rectangular, centrally mounted movement frame with triangular top surmounted by a pinnacle matching those of the columns. Central plate for the rolling bail tracé pivoted on the top circumference of two rings centrally moumted on the front and back base strips. Spirit level behind front ring. Mahogany base with spherical brass feet; glazed outer mahogany protection case. D. hldividual silvered open-ring dials for hours with Roman numerals, minutes and seconds. Blued steel bands. Seconds hand advances by 30 seconds at each tilt of the bail track plate; 2 second indications set above each arch of a bridge traversing the bail tracés. M. 5 wheel symmetrically disposed around the centre; fusee with chair; arm linkage to bail tracé plate from seconds wheel, seconds detent unlocked by alternating bail impact on either of two vertical curved springs at each sicle of the plate, linked by an horizontal arbor beneath the plate. Dim. of case 45.5 x 44.5 x 43.5 cm.

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Note: Congreve took out a patent for his rolling bail clock in 1808 in which year he also presented what was probably the prototype to the Prince of Wales. This model, now in the Rotunda Museum, Woolwich, is weight-driven although all other known examples of the clock are spring-drives. It is probable, however, that Congreve developed the clock a good deal earlier, perhaps in the period 1798-1802/3, and a clock signed by Robert Bryson, Edinburgh, carries the date of 1803 (assuming that this is not a serial munber). The design, the layout and the case of the Bryson dock are virtually identical with those of other known examples signed by makers such as French, James Moore, John Moxon, John Bentley & James Bate, Henry Bell, and all these models are identical with the unsigned example offered here. Clearly a11 examples of the first generation of Congreve clocks ( or at least their cases) were made by the same maker. Who this may have been remains conjectural. If it were not the makers of the prototype, Gravel & Tolkien, Robert Roskell, who signed a skeleton clock using exactly the saine frame and case but with Savage's escapement, are candidates, as is, with more probability, John Moxon who, apart from signing at least one rolling bail dock, made other clocks for Congreve induding one, now in the Royal Collections, with his 'Extreme Detached Escapement'. Literature: F.J. Britten, Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers..., 6th edition (by F.W. Britten), London, 1932, 515. T.A.S. Drake, "Congreve Clocks", Antidzrarian Horology, I,1953-56,164. Cedric Jagger, Royal Clocks, the British Monarchy and its Timekeepers 1300-1900, London, 1983, 197-201. Derek Roberts, British Skeleton Clocks, 79-82. F.B. Royer-Collard, Skeleton Clocks, London, 1969, 136-40. (A.J. Turner), William Congreve and his Clock. A Reprint of the Patentgrmzted to Congreve in 1808, znith an Introductory note and a Portrait, (Turner & Devereux Occasional Paper No 2), 1972.