A FINE EARLY VICTORIAN WOODEN-DIALLED DROP-DIAL FUSEE WALL T...

Estimate

£6,000 - £8,000

A FINE EARLY VICTORIAN WOODEN-DIALLED DROP-DIAL FUSEE WALL TIMEPIECEVULLIAMY, LONDON, No. 1604 CIRCA 1843The four columnar pillar single fusee movement with thick plates measuring 6 by 5.125 inches secured via brackets and thumbscrews through the bottom pillars onto a seatboard forming part of the internal structure of the case, the train terminating with half-deadbeat escapement regulated by heavy steel-rod lenticular bob pendulum with an effective length of approximately 15 inches, incorporating T-bar suspension and stamped with serial number 1604 to the rear of the bob, the backplate engraved VULLIAMY, LONDON over serial number 1604, the 12 inch light cream painted wood Roman numeral dial turned integral to the surround and signed VULLIAMY, LONDON to centre, with steel spade hands set behind hinged glazed cast brass bezel onto the ogee moulded-edge dial panel, secured via pegs to the front of the well-constructed drop-trunk box case with doors to each side behind the dial, over flame-figured front and slender waist moulding, the 'chisel' base with hinged angled cockbeaded flap to front.62cm (24.5ins) high, 38cm (15ins) wide, 16.5cm, (6.5ins) deep.Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as born 1780 to Benjamin Vulliamy and gaining his freedom of the Clockmakers' Company in 1809. He worked from 52 Pall Mall, served as Warden 1821-5 and was appointed Master five times. He was the last of the celebrated dynasty of Royal clockmakers which started with his grandfather, Justin, forming a partnership with George II's clockmaker, Benjamin Gray. Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was perhaps one of the most influential horologists of his time publishing many works and undertaking numerous high profile public commissions as well as holding the Royal Warrant. He supplied many clocks to the Royal family including the turret clock for Windsor Castle in 1829 (replacing an earlier movement by Joseph Knibb); however his horological legacy is perhaps somewhat slightly blighted by his tendency to undertake controversial alterations to earlier important clocks by makers such as Tompion. The Vulliamys started numbering most of their clocks from 1788 until 1854. Two of the original Vulliamy workbooks still survive in the library of the British Horological Institute at Upton Hall, these often can provide valuable information regarding the manufacture and provenance of many clocks made by the workshop. Unfortunately, the records are incomplete hence only note clocks with serial numbers 296-469 and 746-1067. There is also a third surviving Vulliamy workbook, relating only to repairs and servicing dating to the period 1846-53. Interestingly this volume records at least sixty-five clocks being in the possession of the government 'Office of Works' and another forty being in the possession of Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace.Roger Smith in his article titled Vulliamy Clock Numbering, A Postscript published in 'Antiquarian Horology' Vol. 21 No. 5 (September 1994), used surviving data in the records of the British Horological Institute at Upton Hall and known documented examples to compile a graph from which unrecorded clocks can be fairly accurately dated. According to this chart number 1604 would date to around 1843; this date is further corroborated by the recent discovery of Vulliamy number 1630 (see Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen, sale of Selected furniture, clocks and carpets 15th December 2020 lot 2051/8078) which is dated 1844.