A fine mid 18th century gilt-metal mounted tortoiseshell musical table clock with silver and champlevé enamel decorated dial made for the Turkish marketMarkwick, Markham and Perigal, London
The cupola top with red silk-backed lattice-work panels on a circular lower section framed by flaming urn finials, the sides with elaborate cast brass sound frets and open curved scroll mounts to the canted corners, on a moulded base and gilt twin-foliate scroll feet. The back door with full fish-scale gilt brass sound fret backed in red silk.
The 4.25 inch arched dial plate with multi-coloured champlevé enamel decoration of flowers, scrolls and leaves mainly in blue and green with gilt and orange highlights, on a hatched silver ground. The 4 inch white enamel dial with Turkish numerals, signed Markwick Markham Perigal London below the pierced and engraved gilt hands, the arch set with twin white enamel subsidiaries for chime/not chime and four-tune selection.
The triple barrel movement with knife edge verge escapement striking the hours on a bell and playing one of the 4 tunes on a run of 9 bells and 15 hammers regulated via an external fly, the backplate with floral and fruit basket engraving, above the signature Markwick Markham Perigal London. Ticking, striking and playing. Together with two case keys and a winding key.
28cm wide x 22cm deep x 40cm high, (11in wide x 8 1/2in deep x 15 1/2in high)FootnotesAccompanied by a description from Stender, Antiquair Uurwerkmaker, July 1988.
This firm was initially comprised of James Markwick and Robert Markham. Markwick was born in London around 1662 and was made free of the Clockmakers Company by patrimony in 1692. His father, James Markwick Senior, was a prosperous horologist and his mother, Hannah Gilpin, was the daughter of another prosperous London horologist, Edmund Gilpin, who was also James Markwick Senior's master. About four years after gaining his freedom, Markwick Jr. took over his father's workshop and trade. Around this same time, he appears to have married Catherine Carleton; the couple would go on to have at least 11 children, though only two, Thomas and Catherine seem to have survived childhood.
Robert Markham became a member of the Curriers company in 1700, likely having been born around 1680, in London. His father Richard, also a Currier, died in 1715, and left Robert half of all his wealth, which included jewels and seemingly government trade contracts, the other half going to Richard's wife. Robert Markham appears to have entered into partnership with James Markwick Junior around 1725. Robert also married Catherine Markwick, though whether this was before or after 1725 is unknown. On their wedding day, James Markwick apparently gave his daughter and son-in-law £1,000.
James Markwick died in 1729, leaving his son-in-law one-third of all his property. Markham continued to advertise as 'Markwick Markham', seemingly throughout his career. He and Catherine had three children, Elizabeth, James, and Anne. When Markham died in 1741, it appears that one of the Markham's continued the business, entering into partnership with Francis Perigal, the name being changed to 'Markwick, Markham, & Perigal'. It is not known which of the Markhams continued the trade, as none are recorded as clockmakers. The partnership with Perigal was dissolved around 1751, and various other partnerships were entered into. 'Markwick' remained in the shop's title until about 1820. The shop ceased trading around 1851, at that point being known as 'Markham Borrell'.
Despite the firms many iterations, their main customer base seems to have been for export to the Ottoman Empire. Most of the timepieces known by them feature Turkish numerals, including a lantern clock. This suggests that this connection to the Ottoman Empire began quite early in the partnership, though exactly when remains unknown.
Related Literature
Victoria and Albert Museum (2003) Watch. Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77566/watch-markwick-markham/watch-markwick--markham/
B. Loomes, (2013) Collecting Antique Clocks Markwick Markham Available at: https://www.brianloomes.com/collecting/markwick/index.html
A fine mid 18th century gilt-metal mounted tortoiseshell musical table clock with silver and champlevé enamel decorated dial made for the Turkish marketMarkwick, Markham and Perigal, London
The cupola top with red silk-backed lattice-work panels on a circular lower section framed by flaming urn finials, the sides with elaborate cast brass sound frets and open curved scroll mounts to the canted corners, on a moulded base and gilt twin-foliate scroll feet. The back door with full fish-scale gilt brass sound fret backed in red silk.
The 4.25 inch arched dial plate with multi-coloured champlevé enamel decoration of flowers, scrolls and leaves mainly in blue and green with gilt and orange highlights, on a hatched silver ground. The 4 inch white enamel dial with Turkish numerals, signed Markwick Markham Perigal London below the pierced and engraved gilt hands, the arch set with twin white enamel subsidiaries for chime/not chime and four-tune selection.
The triple barrel movement with knife edge verge escapement striking the hours on a bell and playing one of the 4 tunes on a run of 9 bells and 15 hammers regulated via an external fly, the backplate with floral and fruit basket engraving, above the signature Markwick Markham Perigal London. Ticking, striking and playing. Together with two case keys and a winding key.
28cm wide x 22cm deep x 40cm high, (11in wide x 8 1/2in deep x 15 1/2in high)FootnotesAccompanied by a description from Stender, Antiquair Uurwerkmaker, July 1988.
This firm was initially comprised of James Markwick and Robert Markham. Markwick was born in London around 1662 and was made free of the Clockmakers Company by patrimony in 1692. His father, James Markwick Senior, was a prosperous horologist and his mother, Hannah Gilpin, was the daughter of another prosperous London horologist, Edmund Gilpin, who was also James Markwick Senior's master. About four years after gaining his freedom, Markwick Jr. took over his father's workshop and trade. Around this same time, he appears to have married Catherine Carleton; the couple would go on to have at least 11 children, though only two, Thomas and Catherine seem to have survived childhood.
Robert Markham became a member of the Curriers company in 1700, likely having been born around 1680, in London. His father Richard, also a Currier, died in 1715, and left Robert half of all his wealth, which included jewels and seemingly government trade contracts, the other half going to Richard's wife. Robert Markham appears to have entered into partnership with James Markwick Junior around 1725. Robert also married Catherine Markwick, though whether this was before or after 1725 is unknown. On their wedding day, James Markwick apparently gave his daughter and son-in-law £1,000.
James Markwick died in 1729, leaving his son-in-law one-third of all his property. Markham continued to advertise as 'Markwick Markham', seemingly throughout his career. He and Catherine had three children, Elizabeth, James, and Anne. When Markham died in 1741, it appears that one of the Markham's continued the business, entering into partnership with Francis Perigal, the name being changed to 'Markwick, Markham, & Perigal'. It is not known which of the Markhams continued the trade, as none are recorded as clockmakers. The partnership with Perigal was dissolved around 1751, and various other partnerships were entered into. 'Markwick' remained in the shop's title until about 1820. The shop ceased trading around 1851, at that point being known as 'Markham Borrell'.
Despite the firms many iterations, their main customer base seems to have been for export to the Ottoman Empire. Most of the timepieces known by them feature Turkish numerals, including a lantern clock. This suggests that this connection to the Ottoman Empire began quite early in the partnership, though exactly when remains unknown.
Related Literature
Victoria and Albert Museum (2003) Watch. Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77566/watch-markwick-markham/watch-markwick--markham/
B. Loomes, (2013) Collecting Antique Clocks Markwick Markham Available at: https://www.brianloomes.com/collecting/markwick/index.html
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