Important Collectors Wristwatches Po...
Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 21, 1995
LOT 208
James Murray, Royal Exchange. London, unnumbered, mid 19th Century. Very good, wooden cased, eight day going mantel clock striking and repeating hours on a gong, lever escapement.
CHF 16,000 - 18,000
C. Rosewood, glazed four sides, pediment top, canted brass-inlaid corners, dentil moulding all round, gilt-brass bail feet, repeat cord. D. Brass, silvered and engraved, sunk centre, blued steel moon hands. M. Rectangular brass, fusees and chains to both trains, maintaining power to going side, platform lever escapement, single roller, pointedtooth wheel, plain brass balance. Signed on dial and movement. In very good condition. Dim: 25 x 19.5 x 14 cm.
Notes
JAMES MURRAY
A noted watch- and chronometer maker, Murray was a native of Moffat, Dumfrieshire, Scotland who had
moved to London by 1810 where he became free of the Clockmakers' Company in 1815. He was a
liveryman from 1817 - 1840. From 1816 to 1825, Murray was in partnership with Charles Strahan. He made the
chronometers retailed by J. Sewill of Liverpool, and in 1823 won the premium trials at Greenwich Observatory
with his chronometer No 816 which in competition with thirty five other chronometers varied only one second
and eleven hundred parts of a second.. The instrument was subsequently sent out in Parry's expedition. Murray
worked at 30 Cornhill until about 1865 and had two sons James and John who continued at the business at the
same address until 1892. The younger James went to India in 1880 working from Calcutta, John, after a period
in partnership with William Mitchell in Cornhill, ended his life as a New York policeman.