Geneva, Nov 05, 2023

LOT 267

ARNOLD AND CHARLES FRODSHAM, ENGLAND, CARRIAGE CLOCK, EIGHT DAYS GOING CHRONOMETER CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH EARNSHAW TYPE ESCAPEMENT AND HOUR PULL REPEAT, GILT BRONZE

CHF 10,000 - 20,000

EUR 10,600 - 21,100 / USD 11,100 - 22,200 / HKD 87,000 - 174,000

TO BE SOLD WITHOUT RESERVE

Sold: CHF 6,500

A fine and rare, manual wind eight days going movement, gilt bronze case of rectangular section almost all surfaces engraved with profuse foliate scrolls and flowers, leaf handle over a large glazed escapement viewing window framed by engraved foliage and four bud finials on cast palm-frond columns on circular bases and button feet, the solid rear door with engraved floral border and sprung catch. Silvered engraved Roman dial inner quarter-hour divisions, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds set at 12 o'clock, Breguet-style blued steel hands reading against extremely fine engine turned centres.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-6-01

Good

Slightly oxidized

HANDS Original

Brand Arnold and Charles Frodsham, England

Model Carriage clock

Year Circa 1850

Case No. 1188

Length 116

Caliber 105 X 73 mm., twin chain fusee movement with maintaining power to the going train terminating in large gilt platform carrying the freesprung cut and compensated bimetallic balance with circular timing weights and diamond end stone to the blued steel helical spring, with underslung Earnshaw-type chronometer escapement, with rack striking on a coiled blued steel gong mounted in a steel block.

Height 164

Width 96

Signature The backplate signed Arnold Chas Frodsham 84, Strand London.

Notes

Although Arnold is engraved on the back plate movement, it is a product of the Frodsham workshop. After the death of John Arnold in 1843 Charles Frodsham bought his workshop at 84 Strand and continued to use his name until 1858. This address remained that of the Frodsham company until 1894.

Charles Frodsham (1810-1871) as the most celebrated of the numerous Frodsham family of watchmakers and was a prominent maker of very high grade chronometers and watches. In 1868 he devised a form of electrical contact for taking signals for chronometers. The company he founded continued after his death. At some time before the middle of the 19th century, the company began making clocks and lever escapement and chronometer escapement watches of the very highest quality, they continued to do so until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. The clocks made by the Frodsham firm are always in very high quality.