Search Price Results
Wish

LOT 0032

A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT GEORGE III MAHOGANY AND

[ translate ]

A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT GEORGE III MAHOGANY AND MARQUETRY MUSICAL QUARTER CHIMING LONGCASE CLOCK, THE MOVEMENT BY BENSON, WHITEHAVEN, THE CASE ATTRIBUTED TO GILLOWS OF LANCASTER, CIRCA 1760
the case with typical carving and inlay by Gillows, the hood with swan-neck pediment decorated with dentil moulding and floral paterae, the corners with free-standing, fluted columns, the trunk with blind fret carving over the shaped door with distinctive inlay, possibly relating to an armorial crest, flanked by fluted pilasters, the plinth base with blind fret carved front angles and inlaid with a stylised motif, the substantial 14 inch brass arched dial with gilt pierced spandrels, the silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals interspersed with engraved foliage, with an outer five minute track with Arabic numerals, and an inner track for the date with centre sweep calendar hand, the centre engraved with Rococo motifs, scrolls and foliage, and signed 'Benson Whitehaven', with subsidiary dials for strike / silent and country / gavet, the arch centred by a painted rolling moonphase with the moon's age engraved to the outer edge, the narrow outer silvered dial engraved for Day Break / Decliniation and Twilight Place, numbered 0 / 10 / 20 and I to V to one side and VI - X the other, flanked by painted sunrise / sunset shutters rising and falling and with steel hands pointing to the outer track inscribed 'Amplitud Ortive / Meridies / Amplitud Occidua indicating length of day, the inner ring for the sun's declination, the calendrical and moonphase wheel work and levers now removed, the weight driven movement with anchor escapement striking the hours on a single bell and playing a choice of two tunes on the quarters with fifteen hammers on a nest of eight graduated bells, with pendulum and three weights,
240cm high

This very rare clock of exceptional quality may have been a specific commission from an important patron who wanted every fashionable and expensive feature that could be combined into one clock. Not only does the dial arch have complicated calendrical features relating to the declination of the the sun, moon and length of day etc. it also has a musical function with a choice of tunes played on the quarters, all fitted in an ornate and finely carved case of the highest quality, in the Lancashire style and typical of the work of the important cabinet maker, Gillows of Lancaster.

MUSEUM COMPARABLE:
There is a similar clock in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London by Benson of Whitehaven. This clock features the finely carved Lancashire style case and the complicated dial that are featured in the present example (but not the fifteen hammers and eight bells) and has been dated to 1760. (Inv. no. W.22:1 to 3-1932). The catalogue entry is as follows:
"An interesting example of a sophisticated clock by a regional maker. Little is known of Benson, although he was still working in Whitehaven in 1782 when he advertised white painted dials. The case is a restrained example of the Lancashire Chippendale style, inspired by Plate CLXIH from Thomas Chippendale’s Director. The dial arch has the major portion of a twenty-four hour chapter ring which is traversed daily by a gilt ef?gy of the sun, and shows sunrise, sunset and the sun’s amplitude. The inner dial shows the phases of the moon. The brass and steel weight-driven movement has a rack striking on a bell."

AUCTION COMPARABLES:
For another George III mahogany longcase clock with astronomical dial but without musical function, see Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 11 April 2005, lot 47 (27,000 euros)
Christie's, London, 7 December 2005, lot 70, again with astronomical dial but without music, sold £27,000. This clock had a Gillows style case like the present example.

[ translate ]

View it on
Sale price
Unlock
Estimate
Unlock
Time, Location
12 Jun 2019
UK, London
Auction House
Unlock

[ translate ]

A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT GEORGE III MAHOGANY AND MARQUETRY MUSICAL QUARTER CHIMING LONGCASE CLOCK, THE MOVEMENT BY BENSON, WHITEHAVEN, THE CASE ATTRIBUTED TO GILLOWS OF LANCASTER, CIRCA 1760
the case with typical carving and inlay by Gillows, the hood with swan-neck pediment decorated with dentil moulding and floral paterae, the corners with free-standing, fluted columns, the trunk with blind fret carving over the shaped door with distinctive inlay, possibly relating to an armorial crest, flanked by fluted pilasters, the plinth base with blind fret carved front angles and inlaid with a stylised motif, the substantial 14 inch brass arched dial with gilt pierced spandrels, the silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals interspersed with engraved foliage, with an outer five minute track with Arabic numerals, and an inner track for the date with centre sweep calendar hand, the centre engraved with Rococo motifs, scrolls and foliage, and signed 'Benson Whitehaven', with subsidiary dials for strike / silent and country / gavet, the arch centred by a painted rolling moonphase with the moon's age engraved to the outer edge, the narrow outer silvered dial engraved for Day Break / Decliniation and Twilight Place, numbered 0 / 10 / 20 and I to V to one side and VI - X the other, flanked by painted sunrise / sunset shutters rising and falling and with steel hands pointing to the outer track inscribed 'Amplitud Ortive / Meridies / Amplitud Occidua indicating length of day, the inner ring for the sun's declination, the calendrical and moonphase wheel work and levers now removed, the weight driven movement with anchor escapement striking the hours on a single bell and playing a choice of two tunes on the quarters with fifteen hammers on a nest of eight graduated bells, with pendulum and three weights,
240cm high

This very rare clock of exceptional quality may have been a specific commission from an important patron who wanted every fashionable and expensive feature that could be combined into one clock. Not only does the dial arch have complicated calendrical features relating to the declination of the the sun, moon and length of day etc. it also has a musical function with a choice of tunes played on the quarters, all fitted in an ornate and finely carved case of the highest quality, in the Lancashire style and typical of the work of the important cabinet maker, Gillows of Lancaster.

MUSEUM COMPARABLE:
There is a similar clock in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London by Benson of Whitehaven. This clock features the finely carved Lancashire style case and the complicated dial that are featured in the present example (but not the fifteen hammers and eight bells) and has been dated to 1760. (Inv. no. W.22:1 to 3-1932). The catalogue entry is as follows:
"An interesting example of a sophisticated clock by a regional maker. Little is known of Benson, although he was still working in Whitehaven in 1782 when he advertised white painted dials. The case is a restrained example of the Lancashire Chippendale style, inspired by Plate CLXIH from Thomas Chippendale’s Director. The dial arch has the major portion of a twenty-four hour chapter ring which is traversed daily by a gilt ef?gy of the sun, and shows sunrise, sunset and the sun’s amplitude. The inner dial shows the phases of the moon. The brass and steel weight-driven movement has a rack striking on a bell."

AUCTION COMPARABLES:
For another George III mahogany longcase clock with astronomical dial but without musical function, see Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 11 April 2005, lot 47 (27,000 euros)
Christie's, London, 7 December 2005, lot 70, again with astronomical dial but without music, sold £27,000. This clock had a Gillows style case like the present example.

[ translate ]
Sale price
Unlock
Estimate
Unlock
Time, Location
12 Jun 2019
UK, London
Auction House
Unlock