A fine French gilt fretwork panel inset grande-sonnerie striking and repeating alarm carriage clock Retailed by Hunt and Roskell, London, circa 1900 The eight-day two train movement ting-tang striking the quarters on a graduated pair of gongs and sounding the hour every quarter hour on the larger of the two, with silvered platform lever escapement and alarm sounding on the smaller gong, the backplate with engraved retailer's signature HUNT & ROSKELL, 156 New Bond Street, London to upper edge and stamped with serial number 7348 to the lower left hand corner, the dial with circular white enamel Roman numeral centre decorated with gilt star motif, with grey-shaded chapter and Arabic five minutes to outer track, with blued steel hands set within a fine bright-cut engraved and pierced foliate scrollwork rectangular mask incorporating conforming subsidiary alarm setting dial to lower margin, the gilt brass bevel-glazed anglaise riche case with reeded baton to the hinged carrying handle over thick top glass enclosing pierced and engraved gilt oval insert framing the escapement, complex moulded cornice and fluted frieze, the angles with fluted three-quarter columns with Corinthian capitals and the sides with fine foliate pierced and engraved frets incorporating oval line delineated panel within the decoration set behind bevelled glasses, the rear with further conforming fretwork to the back door, on generous cavetto moulded skirt base incorporating shallow block feet, the underside with Hours and Quarters/Silent/Quarters selection switch, 17cm (6.75ins) high excluding handle. The firm of Hunt and Roskell can trace its roots back to the celebrated silversmith Paul Storr who was joined in partnership by John Mortimer in 1822. The business traded from 13 New Bond Street and specialised in the retail of silverwares, jewellery, watches and clocks. In 1839 Storr and Mortimer relocated 156 New Bond Street with Paul Storr retiring very shortly afterwards. The firm continued under the management of John Mortimer and Samuel John Hunt (who joined the business in 1826) trading under the name Mortimer and Hunt; which was then in-turn subsequently succeeded by the partnership of Hunt and Roskell (with Robert Roskell probably joining the business around the time of John Mortimer's retirement in 1843). Hunt and Roskell exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition with their wares including a selection of small engraved gilt timepieces by Thomas Cole whose work they were known to have retailed. Hunt and Roskell continued as one of the leading retail jewellers and silversmiths throughout the Victorian era becoming a Limited Company in 1898. They relocated to 25 Old Bond Street in 1912 from where they traded until being bought-out by J.W. Benson in 1965. The current lot can be closely compared to an petite-sonnerie striking example sold in these rooms on Wednesday 24th March 2020 (lot 98). This other example was signed by Le Roy and Fils, Paris and their similarity is such that it would be reasonable to suggest that the present clock was supplied to Hunt and Roskell by LeRoy who, at this time, were working from 13 and 15 Palais Royal, Paris. The fine quality pierced and engraved gilt brass panels of the current lot coupled with the robust anglaise riche design result in clock very much geared to the English taste with its overall feel and quality reminiscent of examples originating from the Leading London workshops.
A fine French gilt fretwork panel inset grande-sonnerie striking and repeating alarm carriage clock Retailed by Hunt and Roskell, London, circa 1900 The eight-day two train movement ting-tang striking the quarters on a graduated pair of gongs and sounding the hour every quarter hour on the larger of the two, with silvered platform lever escapement and alarm sounding on the smaller gong, the backplate with engraved retailer's signature HUNT & ROSKELL, 156 New Bond Street, London to upper edge and stamped with serial number 7348 to the lower left hand corner, the dial with circular white enamel Roman numeral centre decorated with gilt star motif, with grey-shaded chapter and Arabic five minutes to outer track, with blued steel hands set within a fine bright-cut engraved and pierced foliate scrollwork rectangular mask incorporating conforming subsidiary alarm setting dial to lower margin, the gilt brass bevel-glazed anglaise riche case with reeded baton to the hinged carrying handle over thick top glass enclosing pierced and engraved gilt oval insert framing the escapement, complex moulded cornice and fluted frieze, the angles with fluted three-quarter columns with Corinthian capitals and the sides with fine foliate pierced and engraved frets incorporating oval line delineated panel within the decoration set behind bevelled glasses, the rear with further conforming fretwork to the back door, on generous cavetto moulded skirt base incorporating shallow block feet, the underside with Hours and Quarters/Silent/Quarters selection switch, 17cm (6.75ins) high excluding handle. The firm of Hunt and Roskell can trace its roots back to the celebrated silversmith Paul Storr who was joined in partnership by John Mortimer in 1822. The business traded from 13 New Bond Street and specialised in the retail of silverwares, jewellery, watches and clocks. In 1839 Storr and Mortimer relocated 156 New Bond Street with Paul Storr retiring very shortly afterwards. The firm continued under the management of John Mortimer and Samuel John Hunt (who joined the business in 1826) trading under the name Mortimer and Hunt; which was then in-turn subsequently succeeded by the partnership of Hunt and Roskell (with Robert Roskell probably joining the business around the time of John Mortimer's retirement in 1843). Hunt and Roskell exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition with their wares including a selection of small engraved gilt timepieces by Thomas Cole whose work they were known to have retailed. Hunt and Roskell continued as one of the leading retail jewellers and silversmiths throughout the Victorian era becoming a Limited Company in 1898. They relocated to 25 Old Bond Street in 1912 from where they traded until being bought-out by J.W. Benson in 1965. The current lot can be closely compared to an petite-sonnerie striking example sold in these rooms on Wednesday 24th March 2020 (lot 98). This other example was signed by Le Roy and Fils, Paris and their similarity is such that it would be reasonable to suggest that the present clock was supplied to Hunt and Roskell by LeRoy who, at this time, were working from 13 and 15 Palais Royal, Paris. The fine quality pierced and engraved gilt brass panels of the current lot coupled with the robust anglaise riche design result in clock very much geared to the English taste with its overall feel and quality reminiscent of examples originating from the Leading London workshops.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
