A fine George II gilt brass mounted ebonised quarter-chiming table clock with moonphase, Daniel Torin and Moses Fontaine, London, circa 1745 The substantial eight pillar triple chain fusee movement chiming the quarters on a graduated nest of three bells and striking the hours on a further larger bell, with trip repeat and backplate finely engraved with Ho-Ho bird and lambrequin panel inhabited foliate strapwork centred with Apollo standing with a harp over twin female busts to lower margin, the 8.25 inch wide brass break-arch dial with calendar aperture, false bob aperture and applied oval signature plate engraved Daniel Torin & Moses Fontaine, London No. 475 to the matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with fleur-de-lys half hour markers and Arabic five minutes to outer track, with pierced blued steel hands and female bust and scroll cast spandrels to angles beneath arch incorporating rolling moonphase with scroll engraved lunettes and herringbone decorated arch flanked by small panels to shoulders featuring S/N strike selection switch to the right hand side, the inverted bell-top case with brass mouldings and vase finials to superstructure over cavetto top mouldings and break-arch glazed front door with raised brass mouldings to the aperture and upper quadrant frets incorporating scroll cast infill flanked by canted angles applied with grotesque mask strapwork pendant mounts, the sides with hinged brass handles over concave-topped fishscale sound frets, the rear matching the front with the exception of the upper quadrants being glazed, on brass bound cavetto moulded base with generous bracket feet, 61cm (24ins) high. The partnership between Daniel Torin and Moses Fontaine is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as working from the dial at Moorfields circa 1744-61. Literature: The current lot is illustrated in Barder, Richard C.R. The Georgian Bracket Clock on page 119 (Plate II/40). The highly decorative nature of the dial coupled with the beautifully engraved backplate incorporating an allegorical figure is typical of the Huguenot school of London clockmaking which thrived during the latter quarter of the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century. This distinct branch of London clockmaking was established by immigrant makers such as Claude Duchesne who established large workshops employing highly skilled specialist craftsmen many of whom remained anonymous. Clocks made in such workshops are invariably finely made which rich engraving, highly decorative dials and cases and complex movements often musical or incorporating complications. The importance of the Huguenot influence in London clockmaking cannot be underestimated indeed the fact that Claude Duchesne supplied the plates and frame for John Harrisons first marine timekeeper (H1) is indicative of the esteem to which his workshop was held by his contemporary peers.
A fine George II gilt brass mounted ebonised quarter-chiming table clock with moonphase, Daniel Torin and Moses Fontaine, London, circa 1745 The substantial eight pillar triple chain fusee movement chiming the quarters on a graduated nest of three bells and striking the hours on a further larger bell, with trip repeat and backplate finely engraved with Ho-Ho bird and lambrequin panel inhabited foliate strapwork centred with Apollo standing with a harp over twin female busts to lower margin, the 8.25 inch wide brass break-arch dial with calendar aperture, false bob aperture and applied oval signature plate engraved Daniel Torin & Moses Fontaine, London No. 475 to the matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with fleur-de-lys half hour markers and Arabic five minutes to outer track, with pierced blued steel hands and female bust and scroll cast spandrels to angles beneath arch incorporating rolling moonphase with scroll engraved lunettes and herringbone decorated arch flanked by small panels to shoulders featuring S/N strike selection switch to the right hand side, the inverted bell-top case with brass mouldings and vase finials to superstructure over cavetto top mouldings and break-arch glazed front door with raised brass mouldings to the aperture and upper quadrant frets incorporating scroll cast infill flanked by canted angles applied with grotesque mask strapwork pendant mounts, the sides with hinged brass handles over concave-topped fishscale sound frets, the rear matching the front with the exception of the upper quadrants being glazed, on brass bound cavetto moulded base with generous bracket feet, 61cm (24ins) high. The partnership between Daniel Torin and Moses Fontaine is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as working from the dial at Moorfields circa 1744-61. Literature: The current lot is illustrated in Barder, Richard C.R. The Georgian Bracket Clock on page 119 (Plate II/40). The highly decorative nature of the dial coupled with the beautifully engraved backplate incorporating an allegorical figure is typical of the Huguenot school of London clockmaking which thrived during the latter quarter of the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century. This distinct branch of London clockmaking was established by immigrant makers such as Claude Duchesne who established large workshops employing highly skilled specialist craftsmen many of whom remained anonymous. Clocks made in such workshops are invariably finely made which rich engraving, highly decorative dials and cases and complex movements often musical or incorporating complications. The importance of the Huguenot influence in London clockmaking cannot be underestimated indeed the fact that Claude Duchesne supplied the plates and frame for John Harrisons first marine timekeeper (H1) is indicative of the esteem to which his workshop was held by his contemporary peers.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
