Beschreibung:

Y A VICTORIAN BRASS SKELETON TIMEPIECEJ. SMART, ISLINGTON, MID 19th CENTURYThe thick pierced tapered pylon-shaped plates united by four tapered baluster double-screwed pillars enclosing a single chain fusee train with five-spoke wheel crossings, terminating with an anchor escapement regulated by half seconds pendulum with holdfast, the dial with silvered skeletonised Roman numeral chapter ring and blued steel trefoil hands over signature J. Smart, Islington engraved into the arched lower rail of the frame, on four turned pedestal-shaped feet set on a rectangular canted-edge rosewood veneered base incorporating rounded angles and step to locate the glass dome cover, on disc turned feet.The timepiece 30.5cm (12ins) high, 17.5cm (6.5ins) wide, 10cm (4ins) deep; the stand and dome 40cm (15.75ins) high, 23cm (9ins) wide, 15cm (6ins) deep overall. A James Smart is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as working in London from circa 1800. The design of the frame of the current lot can be compared to two examples illustrated in Roberts, Derek BRITISH SKELETON CLOCKS on pages 51 (Figures 2/3a-c) and 55 (Figure 2/4); the first is for a timepiece by Viner and Company and the second is signed 'G. Paterson, Walworth'. Further examples, this time by Dwerrihouse, Ogden and Bell and attributed to Viner are illustrated in Royer-Collard, F.B. Skeleton Clocks pages 17-19 (figures 1-23 to 1-28) where it is suggested that the frames were cast in Birmingham.