Inv. #G85

A very rare Austrian Louis XVI gesso, gilt and patinated bronze and gilt-wood figural tallcase clock by JM Schmit in Wien. The massive two tone gesso case has a square base with canted corners to the front that supports a clock on a stepped plinth flanked by a nearly full size figure of Urania above. The whole is adorned with numerous gilt-wood moldings and decorative elements that include military trophies on the doors, stylized butterflies to the sides, a pointer, star and large pharaoh and snake appliqués to the chamfered corners. The well-carved figure of Urania, dressed in flowing drapery, casually leans against the plinth and embraces the large blue sphere elaborately decorated with ormolu stars.

The silver engraved chapter ring dial has large Arabic numbers for the hours, Arabic numbers for the five-minute marks, is signed by the maker, 'JM Schmit, Wien' and has two very nicely cast ormolu hands.

The high quality eight-day quarter-striking movement is accessed through a hinged door in the back of the sphere, has two brass-bound un-compounded weights, a high quality dead-beat escapement, a pendulum suspended by spring, the screwed beat adjustment on the crutch and strikes on two large nested bells.

Ref:
In Greek mythology Urania was the muse of astronomy and astrology. She is usually depicted with a globe in one hand and a peg in her other.

During this time period Napoleon's campaign had been to Egypt and the treasures with which he returned were both well received and enormously influential on the European decorative arts.

Height &emdash; 94in.

Retail Price: On Request.

Inv. #T15

A Georgian English mahogany tallcase clock with rocking Father Time by William Bull, Stratford. The small, well-proportioned case has nicely colored and figured mahogany veneers throughout. The broken arch hood has full to the front and quarter to the rear fluted columns with stop fluting, simple brass capitals, glazed sides and a two decorative frets above separated by three fluted blocks surmounted by brass ball finials. The trunk has a broken arch door with molded edge and fluted quarter columns with brass capitals. The plinth has a raised molded panel and stands on a double base with a fretted front.

The decorative broken arch polished brass dial plate has cast floral spandrels, a mated center, a sunken seconds dial with a molded edge and decorative engraving framing a shaped father time aperture with a canted edge. The silvered engraved chapters and plaques include the calendar ring, second's dial, hour's chapter, nameplate, 'William Bull, Stratford', the strike/silent, 'N/S' and both the chapter with 'Tempus Fugit' and rocking father time. Finely cut steel hands indicate the hours, minutes and seconds.

The eight-day time and strike weight-driven movement has five knopped posts, a recoil escapement, a pendulum with a flat brass rod and brass bound lenticular bob and is driven by two brass bound weights. Father Time is connected to the escapewheel arbor and rocks side to side as the clock runs.

Ref: William Bull is listed in Britten's as working 1770-1804.
Statford is sometimes listed as part of London and sometimes as just outside.

Height - 89.5in.

Retail Price: On Request.

Inv. #T14

A late 19th century English miniature marquetry tallcase clock. The well-proportioned diminutive marquetry case has walnut veneer, cross grained moldings and fields of ebony endgrain with decorative inlay on the door and plinth. The hood has a flat top, glazed sides and barley twist columns while the whole stands on a stepped base.

The square brass dial has nicely cast spandrels, a matted center, a silvered and engraved chapter ring with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numbers for the five minute marks and two steel nicely cut hands. The wonderful diminutive early two train eight-day movement has four knopped and finned posts, a substantial anchor escapement and a pendulum with steel rod and a brass bound lenticular bob.

During the late 19th century miniature tallcases gained popularity and exact copies of earlier period pieces were made using both old wood and movements. The movements were generally early 19th century twin fusee bracket clock movements, but occasionally contemporary weight-driven movements were employed. This example is unusual since the movement is a period miniature tallcase movement and although old wood was used, the case deviates from the Georgian designs typically copied. It would seem more accurate to speculate that the case from which the movement originated was lost and this was a late 19th century replacement.

Height - 62.25in.

Retail Price: On Request.

Inv. #T10

An early eighteenth-century English walnut flat topped tallcase clock by Thomas Triggs, London. The well-proportioned figured walnut case has cross-grained moldings, an arched waist door and a double stepped base. The hood has wooden frets over the arched door with attached columns and brass capitals. The broken arch brass dial has a particularly finely matted center with a calendar aperture, silvered and engraved chapter rings for the hours and seconds bit, spandrels to the corners and a signed boss in the arch.

The eight-day time and strike movement has an anchor escapement and strikes the hours on a bell.

Completely restored, this is a great example of the beginning of the English tallcase tradition.

Thomas Triggs is listed in Brittain's as being freed from the Clockmaker's Company Dec. 6, 1708.

For similar clocks see 'British Longcase Clocks', pgs. 117-119.

Height - 89in.

Retail Price: On Request.