A FINE GEORGE III GILT BRASS MOUNTED JAPANNED MUSICAL TABLE CLOCK MADE FOR THE 'OTTOMAN' MARKET
J. AND M. BROCKBANK, LONDON, CIRCA 1780
The six pillar triple chain fusee bell-striking movement with plates measuring 7.5 by 5.25 inches and verge escapement regulated by short bob pendulum, the musical train playing a choice of six tunes on eight bells with twelve hammers, via a 3 inch long 1.75 inch diameter pinned cylinder transversely positioned to the upper left of the backplate, every three hours after the sounding of the hour bell, the backplate engraved with an arrangement of symmetrical rococo scrollwork around a central signature Brockbank, London beneath a small basket of flowers within a scribed-line outer border, the 6 inch arched dial with circular fired white enamel 'Turkish' numeral chapter disc signed J. & M., BROCKBANK, LONDON to centre and with conforming five minutes beyond the outer minute track, with fine scroll pierced and engraved gilt brass hands, set beneath twin fired enamel subsidiary dials for CHIME/NOT CHIME selection and BENI SAIKIT/USCHAE DEUR/SABAC HAFIF/SAMAHE tune selection dials with fine engraved brass arrow-shaped pointers, set into a mid-blue painted background polychrome decorated with musical trophy and floral spray infill to spandrel areas and between the subsidiaries, the arched case brown japanned to resemble tortoiseshell and extensively applied with fine chased gilt brass mounts, with flambeau-urn finial to the domed superstructure applied with rosette decorated diamond lattice segment frets between floral scrolls over brass a fillet edged shaped skirt, set on a platform with gilt cavetto moulding and scroll-cast fret infill flanked by further flambeau urn finials set on projecting acanthus cast scrolls, the front with scallop shell-centred scroll crest and conforming shoulder mounts over hinged repeating lappet leaf cast gilt brass glazed door flanked by husk edged front angles, the sides applied with ribbon-tied swags to shoulders over fine scroll-cast break-arch sound frets set within half-round moulded frames and projecting outwards at the base to follow the profile of the swollen lower margins fronted by foliate cast mounts, the rear matching to the front except for having an arched wooded door inset with brass fillet moulding to the glazed aperture, on generous scroll cast bracket feet with leaf cast apron mount between.
52cm (20.5ins) high, 29cm (11.5ins) wide, 18cm (7ins) deep.
John Brockbank gained his freedom of the Clockmakers' Company in 1769 and immediately took his brother, Myles, in as an apprentice who subsequently gained his freedom in 1776. The brothers entered into partnership in around 1780, working from an address at Cowper's Court, London, which continued until the death of John Brockbank in 1806. The Brockbank brothers employed Thomas Earnshaw who, by 1780, had produced two watches with 'detached escapements...' as well as developing his famous bimetallic compensation balance. Indeed, through the employment of the likes of Thomas Earnshaw, Robert Best and James Petto, the firm of Brockbanks became one of the most important makers of marine chronometers during the early post-Harrison era.
In addition to marine chronometers Brockbanks also specialised in the making of clocks and watches for the Chinese and other export markets with several noted in Pagani, Catherine Eastern Magnificence and European Ingenuity: Clocks of the Late Imperial China. Amongst these was a 'magnificent Imperial gilt-bronze musical clock, signed by John Brockbanks and numbered No. 19 which formed part of a group ordered by a Guangdong official as a tribute to Emperor Qianlong; and a 'large gilt bronze vase of jewelled flowers set atop large rectangular base containing the clockface and having painted moving scenes, ca. 1770' by Brockbanks which is noted as being listed in Lu Zanzhen's Qinggong zhongbiao zhencang or Precious Collection of Qing Dynasty Palace Clocks on page 121.
After the death of John, Myles Brockbank took brothers Samuel and Elliott Atkins into partnership consequently the firm became known as Brockbanks and Atkins from circa 1815.
The present clock is unusual in that it plays tunes of Ottoman/Turkish origins rather than British compositions; and that the case has a japanned finish coloured to resemble red/brown tortoiseshell. The 'vine engraved' decoration to the backplate can be closely compared (except for the lack of a signature) to that of a clock by John Scott, London illustrated in Dzik, Sunny ENGRAVING ON ENGLISH TABLE CLOCKS, Art on a Canvas of Brass 1660-1800 on page 361 (Figure 20.5).
Condition Report:
CONDITION REPORT AVAILABLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT ON REQUEST.
Condition Report Disclaimer
A FINE GEORGE III GILT BRASS MOUNTED JAPANNED MUSICAL TABLE CLOCK MADE FOR THE 'OTTOMAN' MARKET
J. AND M. BROCKBANK, LONDON, CIRCA 1780
The six pillar triple chain fusee bell-striking movement with plates measuring 7.5 by 5.25 inches and verge escapement regulated by short bob pendulum, the musical train playing a choice of six tunes on eight bells with twelve hammers, via a 3 inch long 1.75 inch diameter pinned cylinder transversely positioned to the upper left of the backplate, every three hours after the sounding of the hour bell, the backplate engraved with an arrangement of symmetrical rococo scrollwork around a central signature Brockbank, London beneath a small basket of flowers within a scribed-line outer border, the 6 inch arched dial with circular fired white enamel 'Turkish' numeral chapter disc signed J. & M., BROCKBANK, LONDON to centre and with conforming five minutes beyond the outer minute track, with fine scroll pierced and engraved gilt brass hands, set beneath twin fired enamel subsidiary dials for CHIME/NOT CHIME selection and BENI SAIKIT/USCHAE DEUR/SABAC HAFIF/SAMAHE tune selection dials with fine engraved brass arrow-shaped pointers, set into a mid-blue painted background polychrome decorated with musical trophy and floral spray infill to spandrel areas and between the subsidiaries, the arched case brown japanned to resemble tortoiseshell and extensively applied with fine chased gilt brass mounts, with flambeau-urn finial to the domed superstructure applied with rosette decorated diamond lattice segment frets between floral scrolls over brass a fillet edged shaped skirt, set on a platform with gilt cavetto moulding and scroll-cast fret infill flanked by further flambeau urn finials set on projecting acanthus cast scrolls, the front with scallop shell-centred scroll crest and conforming shoulder mounts over hinged repeating lappet leaf cast gilt brass glazed door flanked by husk edged front angles, the sides applied with ribbon-tied swags to shoulders over fine scroll-cast break-arch sound frets set within half-round moulded frames and projecting outwards at the base to follow the profile of the swollen lower margins fronted by foliate cast mounts, the rear matching to the front except for having an arched wooded door inset with brass fillet moulding to the glazed aperture, on generous scroll cast bracket feet with leaf cast apron mount between.
52cm (20.5ins) high, 29cm (11.5ins) wide, 18cm (7ins) deep.
John Brockbank gained his freedom of the Clockmakers' Company in 1769 and immediately took his brother, Myles, in as an apprentice who subsequently gained his freedom in 1776. The brothers entered into partnership in around 1780, working from an address at Cowper's Court, London, which continued until the death of John Brockbank in 1806. The Brockbank brothers employed Thomas Earnshaw who, by 1780, had produced two watches with 'detached escapements...' as well as developing his famous bimetallic compensation balance. Indeed, through the employment of the likes of Thomas Earnshaw, Robert Best and James Petto, the firm of Brockbanks became one of the most important makers of marine chronometers during the early post-Harrison era.
In addition to marine chronometers Brockbanks also specialised in the making of clocks and watches for the Chinese and other export markets with several noted in Pagani, Catherine Eastern Magnificence and European Ingenuity: Clocks of the Late Imperial China. Amongst these was a 'magnificent Imperial gilt-bronze musical clock, signed by John Brockbanks and numbered No. 19 which formed part of a group ordered by a Guangdong official as a tribute to Emperor Qianlong; and a 'large gilt bronze vase of jewelled flowers set atop large rectangular base containing the clockface and having painted moving scenes, ca. 1770' by Brockbanks which is noted as being listed in Lu Zanzhen's Qinggong zhongbiao zhencang or Precious Collection of Qing Dynasty Palace Clocks on page 121.
After the death of John, Myles Brockbank took brothers Samuel and Elliott Atkins into partnership consequently the firm became known as Brockbanks and Atkins from circa 1815.
The present clock is unusual in that it plays tunes of Ottoman/Turkish origins rather than British compositions; and that the case has a japanned finish coloured to resemble red/brown tortoiseshell. The 'vine engraved' decoration to the backplate can be closely compared (except for the lack of a signature) to that of a clock by John Scott, London illustrated in Dzik, Sunny ENGRAVING ON ENGLISH TABLE CLOCKS, Art on a Canvas of Brass 1660-1800 on page 361 (Figure 20.5).
Condition Report:
CONDITION REPORT AVAILABLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT ON REQUEST.
Condition Report Disclaimer
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