A MAHOGANY CASED TWO-DAY MARINE CHRONOMETER THOMAS MERCER, ST. ALBANS, SECOND QUARTER OF THE 20th CENTURY The circular four pillar single chain fusee movement with Harrison's maintaining power, Earnshaw type spring detent escapement and split bimetallic balance with cylindrical compensating weights and helical palladium balance spring, the spotted backplate with spring set-up ratchet and blued-steel pillar and backcock securing screws, the reverse of the dial mounting plate stamped 18837, the 4 inch circular silvered Roman numeral dial with subsidiary seconds dial pierced through at the centre to reveal seconds wheel with two opposing teeth and engraved with text CAUTION: HANDS FORWARD ONLY to circumference, beneath signature THOMAS MERCER LTD, ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND across the centre and DOWN/UP power reserve dial, secured by a screw-down bezel into a lacquered brass bowl with shuttered winding hole to rear, mounted via gimbals into a mahogany two tier box with glazed panel to lid applied with brass plate inscribed THOMAS MERCER LTD, ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND No 18837 to front. The box 17cm (6.25ins) high, 19cm (7.5ins) square. The chronometer making firm Thomas Mercer of St. Albans was established by Thomas Mercer (1822-60) at North Road, London in 1858 before moving to 45 Spencer Street, Clerkenwell in 1860. Mercer became an active member of the British Horological Institute (established in 1858) where he lectured on the need to modernise the industry and served as honorary treasurer from 1875-95. After occupying several addresses in Clerkenwell Mercer relocated the core of the business to St. Albans in 1874 setting up a factory behind his house at 14-15 Prospect Road. Although the bulk of the businesses work was undertaken in St. Albans Mercer personally made weekly trips to Clerkenwell to deliver/collect parts finished by specialist outworkers as well as visit the Horological Institute. In order to maintain a presence in London Thomas Mercer opened an outlet 18 Westmoreland Road, City Road in 1890. Succuss at the Greenwich trials was also always considered important to Mercer who entered instruments every year; he was placed second in 1881 and his son, Frank, came first in 1911. In 1900 Thomas Mercer accepted an invitation to judge at the Universal Exhibition in Paris but unfortunately caught a cold on the ferry crossing and died soon after his return. The business was subsequently continued by his successors becoming of the most prolific suppliers of chronometers and other timepiece for industrial, maritime and domestic purposes and continued trading in St Albans until 1984. The aperture to the centre of the subsidiary seconds dial of the current lot reveals an additional seconds wheel with two opposing teeth to the rim. This wheel is to facilitate the opening and closing of electrical contact points which could be installed within space already provided behind the dial. In addition to this there are also insulted connectors fitted to the brass bowl to facilitate connection to external apparatus.
A MAHOGANY CASED TWO-DAY MARINE CHRONOMETER THOMAS MERCER, ST. ALBANS, SECOND QUARTER OF THE 20th CENTURY The circular four pillar single chain fusee movement with Harrison's maintaining power, Earnshaw type spring detent escapement and split bimetallic balance with cylindrical compensating weights and helical palladium balance spring, the spotted backplate with spring set-up ratchet and blued-steel pillar and backcock securing screws, the reverse of the dial mounting plate stamped 18837, the 4 inch circular silvered Roman numeral dial with subsidiary seconds dial pierced through at the centre to reveal seconds wheel with two opposing teeth and engraved with text CAUTION: HANDS FORWARD ONLY to circumference, beneath signature THOMAS MERCER LTD, ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND across the centre and DOWN/UP power reserve dial, secured by a screw-down bezel into a lacquered brass bowl with shuttered winding hole to rear, mounted via gimbals into a mahogany two tier box with glazed panel to lid applied with brass plate inscribed THOMAS MERCER LTD, ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND No 18837 to front. The box 17cm (6.25ins) high, 19cm (7.5ins) square. The chronometer making firm Thomas Mercer of St. Albans was established by Thomas Mercer (1822-60) at North Road, London in 1858 before moving to 45 Spencer Street, Clerkenwell in 1860. Mercer became an active member of the British Horological Institute (established in 1858) where he lectured on the need to modernise the industry and served as honorary treasurer from 1875-95. After occupying several addresses in Clerkenwell Mercer relocated the core of the business to St. Albans in 1874 setting up a factory behind his house at 14-15 Prospect Road. Although the bulk of the businesses work was undertaken in St. Albans Mercer personally made weekly trips to Clerkenwell to deliver/collect parts finished by specialist outworkers as well as visit the Horological Institute. In order to maintain a presence in London Thomas Mercer opened an outlet 18 Westmoreland Road, City Road in 1890. Succuss at the Greenwich trials was also always considered important to Mercer who entered instruments every year; he was placed second in 1881 and his son, Frank, came first in 1911. In 1900 Thomas Mercer accepted an invitation to judge at the Universal Exhibition in Paris but unfortunately caught a cold on the ferry crossing and died soon after his return. The business was subsequently continued by his successors becoming of the most prolific suppliers of chronometers and other timepiece for industrial, maritime and domestic purposes and continued trading in St Albans until 1984. The aperture to the centre of the subsidiary seconds dial of the current lot reveals an additional seconds wheel with two opposing teeth to the rim. This wheel is to facilitate the opening and closing of electrical contact points which could be installed within space already provided behind the dial. In addition to this there are also insulted connectors fitted to the brass bowl to facilitate connection to external apparatus.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
