Smith & Sons, Clerkenwell, London - Fine Victorian brass...

Smith & Sons, Clerkenwell, London - Fine Victorian brass twin fusee striking skeleton clock based on Tom Tower, Christ Church, Oxford, 7.5" silvered elaborately pierced chapter ring with gothic Roman numerals engraved on interlinked shield shaped cartouches, fancy steel hand, the twin chain fusee movement with deadbeat escapement with passing strike on a bell on the half hour and a full strike on a coiled circular-section gong on the hour, the pendulum with a central brass rod flanked by two steel rods to a double brass faced lenticular bob centred by a steel flowerhead collet, surmounted by the slightly curved cupola roof over shaped finials, quatrefoils and other architectural details, with applied makers plaques, upon a fabric lined base applied with a classical gilt face mask mount; displayed beneath an oval glass dome with white marble base, the clock and marble base 23" high, 24" high including the dome (glass dome cracked to the base, the hour hand broken but present, with pendulum and winding key) ** For similar reference see Derek Roberts - British Skeleton Clocks, Antique Collectors' Club, Woodbridge, 1987, P.76/77 ** J. Smith & Sons are recorded as working as clockmakers in St. John's Square, Clerkenwell, circa 1850-1900. They were one of two clockmakers who probably produced more skeleton clocks than all the other makers put together. The Smiths regularly produced catalogues illustrating some of their skeleton clocks and exhibited their clocks at the Great Exhibition in 1851 ** Tom Tower, Christ Church, Oxford was named after the bell it houses 'Great Tom' and was rung at 9.00pm Local Mean Time to signal the closing of the college gates

Estimate:$1,982.74

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