Beschreibung:

A quarter chiming table clock with year calendar and moonphase The dial bearing signature for Boschmann, London, 1st half of the 18th century The substantial seven pillar triple fusee movement chiming the quarters on a graduated nest of six bells and striking the hour on a further larger bell, with trip hour repeat and verge escapement regulated by lenticular bob pendulum, the backlate finely engraved with winged eagle surmounting elaborate strapwork cartouche flanked by angels over scene of pair of putti piloting a nautical scallop shell form chariot being drawn by a pair of hippocanthai, the 7 inch gilt brass break-arch dial with calendar and false bob apertures to the matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with elaborate cartouche half hour markers, Arabic five minutes to outer track and bearing signature BOSCHMANN, LONDON to lower edge, with pierced steel hands and unusual lambrequin decorated winged cherub and scroll cast spandrels to angles, the foliate scroll engraved arch centred with subsidiary regulation adjustment dial over penny-moon aperture with sector annotated for the age of the moon flanked by NIT REP:/REPETIREN and NIT SCHLAGT/SCHLAGT selection levers and larger date-of-the-month and month-of-the-year calendar dials annotated in German, in a walnut veneered inverted bell top case with brass carrying handle over crossgrain top mouldings and break-arch glazed front door incorporating scroll cast brass quadrant frets to the upper quadrants and caddy moulded angles, the sides with circular over concave-topped rectangular glazed apertures, the rear with rectangular glazed door set within the frame of the case, on shallow ogee crossgrain moulded skirt base with rectangular pad feet, (case either substantially restored or of possible later manufacture), 43cm (17ins) high excluding handle. The current lot at first glance would appear to be fine English quarter chiming table clock with complex dial dating to the second quarter of the 18th century. However, when certain details such as the pattern of movement pillar and the style of the engraving to the backplate are considered, it becomes apparent that the movement and dial were almost certainly made in Vienna for the domestic Austrian or German markets. Indeed the movement pillars can be directly compared to those on an example by Serulatius Maring of Vienna illustrated in Michal, Stanislav CLOCKS AND WATCHES, A CATALOGUE OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES 16 TH TO THE 20 TH CENTURY IN THE COLLECTIONS OF, NATIONAL TECHNICAL MUSEUM, PRAGUE on page 49 (Plate 20). The engraving to the backplate is very fine but stylistically varies from English work of the period through the utilisation of formal strapwork and a large scale allegorical scene rather than perhaps more the harmonious scrolling foliage seen on London made clocks. The complications within the arch of the dial are again perhaps more typical of Viennese practice rather than London work, the fact that the subsidiaries are annotated in German would suggest that it was made for the domestic Austrian market. The reason why the dial is inscribed as being made in London was probably to give the impression that the clock was an expensive English import when made as at that time London-made clocks were generally considered to be the best available throughout Europe. Despite its probable Viennese origins the quality of the movement and dial of the current lot are particularly fine and comparable to better London work of the period.