A fine and very rare unique mid-19th century brass-bound mahogany two-day marine chronometer with Universal compensation, modified detent escapement and exhibition provenance.Thomas Adams 36 Lombard Street, London Number 4242 The three-part case with vacant brass cartouche to the top lid, the centre with brass 12-point star button above an ivory signature plaque signed Adams, 4242, 36 Lombard Strt London, the lower section with inlaid brass escutcheon and campaign handles. Internally, the case is set with a pair of brass hinges, retaining lever, safety winding key set in a quadrant and a gimbal lock. The 3.75-inch silvered dial signed Thomas Adams Maker to H. R. H. Prince Albert, 36 Lombard St. London, the minute track enclosing Roman numerals and gold Breguet style hands, the subsidiary power reserve dial at XII running from 0-54 marked in 6-hour increments with instruction to wind at 24 hours, the observatory-style subsidiary seconds dial between V-VII, engraved 4242, Universal Compensation, with blued steel hand. The spotted full plate movement with four ringed pillars and maintaining power to the chain fusee, free sprung blued steel helical balance spring with diamond endstone and modified Earnshaw type escapement, the cut and compensated bimetallic balance with timing screws and extremely rare wired weight compensation. Sitting in a weighted, gimballed bowl. Ticking with a Tipsy key and case key. Together with two documents. i) a handwritten service record from the previous owner's father who bought the chronometer in 1945 for 16 pounds and 10 shillings. ii) a technical drawing of the balance and escapement drawn by G.S.A. in 1969. 18cms (7ins) highFootnotesExhibited 'Your Time', an exhibition by the Northern Section of the Antiquarian Horological Society at Prescot Museum, February-April 2008; Williamson Museum & Art Gallery, Birkenhead February-April 2008. Exhibit P56. The design of this chronometer's balance was patented in 1838, number 7678, by Edward John Massey It has been suggested that Massey himself may have fitted the chronometer's escapement and compensated balance. As stated in the Exhibition catalogue: "The fact that the balance was due to Massey rather than Adams is confirmed by an identical balance removed from another chronometer which has the name 'Massey' scratched on the brass weight. This chronometer is important as it is the only one known which still has the original Massey escapement and auxiliary compensation. In all other known cases the escapement and balance have been replaced by standard Earnshaw escapements and compensated balances." Interestingly, the dial side of the movement is stamped LD&Co 1240/20926 which suggests that this was originally a Litherland Davies & Co. chronometer, number 1240/20926. Based on the serial number, an original date of finishing for this chronometer would be around 1840. The escapement conversion could have happened at any point until 1852, if it was done by Massey himself. The dial also shows evidence of having been hammered to erase the original name, allowing Adams' name to be engraved instead. The plate is stamped T.C.W which probably refers to the Prescot movement manufacturers Thomas and Charles Webster who also supplied Richard Hornby.
A fine and very rare unique mid-19th century brass-bound mahogany two-day marine chronometer with Universal compensation, modified detent escapement and exhibition provenance.Thomas Adams 36 Lombard Street, London Number 4242 The three-part case with vacant brass cartouche to the top lid, the centre with brass 12-point star button above an ivory signature plaque signed Adams, 4242, 36 Lombard Strt London, the lower section with inlaid brass escutcheon and campaign handles. Internally, the case is set with a pair of brass hinges, retaining lever, safety winding key set in a quadrant and a gimbal lock. The 3.75-inch silvered dial signed Thomas Adams Maker to H. R. H. Prince Albert, 36 Lombard St. London, the minute track enclosing Roman numerals and gold Breguet style hands, the subsidiary power reserve dial at XII running from 0-54 marked in 6-hour increments with instruction to wind at 24 hours, the observatory-style subsidiary seconds dial between V-VII, engraved 4242, Universal Compensation, with blued steel hand. The spotted full plate movement with four ringed pillars and maintaining power to the chain fusee, free sprung blued steel helical balance spring with diamond endstone and modified Earnshaw type escapement, the cut and compensated bimetallic balance with timing screws and extremely rare wired weight compensation. Sitting in a weighted, gimballed bowl. Ticking with a Tipsy key and case key. Together with two documents. i) a handwritten service record from the previous owner's father who bought the chronometer in 1945 for 16 pounds and 10 shillings. ii) a technical drawing of the balance and escapement drawn by G.S.A. in 1969. 18cms (7ins) highFootnotesExhibited 'Your Time', an exhibition by the Northern Section of the Antiquarian Horological Society at Prescot Museum, February-April 2008; Williamson Museum & Art Gallery, Birkenhead February-April 2008. Exhibit P56. The design of this chronometer's balance was patented in 1838, number 7678, by Edward John Massey It has been suggested that Massey himself may have fitted the chronometer's escapement and compensated balance. As stated in the Exhibition catalogue: "The fact that the balance was due to Massey rather than Adams is confirmed by an identical balance removed from another chronometer which has the name 'Massey' scratched on the brass weight. This chronometer is important as it is the only one known which still has the original Massey escapement and auxiliary compensation. In all other known cases the escapement and balance have been replaced by standard Earnshaw escapements and compensated balances." Interestingly, the dial side of the movement is stamped LD&Co 1240/20926 which suggests that this was originally a Litherland Davies & Co. chronometer, number 1240/20926. Based on the serial number, an original date of finishing for this chronometer would be around 1840. The escapement conversion could have happened at any point until 1852, if it was done by Massey himself. The dial also shows evidence of having been hammered to erase the original name, allowing Adams' name to be engraved instead. The plate is stamped T.C.W which probably refers to the Prescot movement manufacturers Thomas and Charles Webster who also supplied Richard Hornby.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
