A mid-17th Century Tabernacle form gilt brass striking and a...

by TW Gaze

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5021 - A mid-17th Century Tabernacle form gilt brass striking and alarm table clock, case possibly German, ...

Estimate

£1,500 - £2,000

Fees

A mid-17th Century Tabernacle form gilt brass striking and alarm table clock, case possibly German, the architectural tabernacle form case with top white metal fretwork gallery supported on four stepped columns, on stepped plinth base, raised upon lion paw feet, silvered Roman numerated dial with an inner alarm dial and a foliate engraved centre, single steel hand, the rear silvered Arabic dial is for the strike, with a chain fusee movement and verge escapement (chain detached), square section brass pillars, striking on a top mounted bell. Removable side panels with 'Memento Mori' (“Remember you must die” - serving as a reminder of mortality and the ephemeral nature of life) script and skull, coat of arms with latin mottos and scripture including MDCXLVI (1641) date. 28cm high. Tabernacle clocks by clockmakers in Augsburg, Nuremberg, and Paris were particularly known for incorporating memento mori elements.

Watch Lot

+ Calendar 2025-03-04 10:00:00 2025-03-04 23:59:59 Europe/London Clocks & Watches Through the Ages The emergence of a single owner collection of timepieces always promises to be exciting. When the collection has been curated by a number of generations, dating back to the early 20th Century, it makes it unique. The collection began with Henry Potter Stevens, a prominent chemist who published several academic books on rubber. His work allowed him to travel world-wide extensively and a natural 'curator-minded' instinct for quality, craftsmanship and importance led to him collecting a multitude of objects, many of which were included in a Sotheby's sale in 1966 following his death. He was also a well-regarded painter exhibiting at Royal Academy, Grosvenor, Redfern and Colnaghi. His son, Humfrey would accompany his father to auctions and thus the tradition of collecting was handed down. Their expertise, knowledge and dedication mean that each lot has been prodigiously sourced over a period of hundred years, from around the world. TW Gaze are delighted to be bestowed the honour of selling this unique collection that spans four hundred years. Included within the 280 lots, this significant collection of historical timepieces features works by some of the most important makers in English horology including Thomas Tompion, Daniel Quare, John Ellicott and Thomas Earnshaw. Their entry onto the open market is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue. Here we acknowledge, with thanks, the assistance of our consultant specialist, Ollie Allen of S. Michlmayr & Co. Ltd., Norwich. The rarity of some of the examples and the overall importance of this as a single-owner collection has already impressed highly respected horologists. Therefore, we encourage you to take every opportunity to inspect and assess the collection in person, whether you are a qualified specialist or a reverential collector. Our scope and ability to answer questions to your specific satisfaction is limited by dint of the very individuality and quality of every piece. Please be aware that each lot is presented as found, having been hidden in unassuming storage conditions for many years, just as the collector left them. Replacement elements are possible given the age of lots within the collection. They are untested and therefore the capabilities of the workings are unknown. Sale contact: Ed Taxil-Webber, Associate Director Specialist Consultant: Oliver Allen of Michlmayr Clock & Watchmakers, Norwich Press contact: Elizabeth Talbot, Director TW Gaze TW Gaze [email protected]

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Auction Date:

4th Mar 25 at 10am GMT