A unique and previously unrecorded mid 19th century engraved and gilt brass-mounted, coromandel calendar timepiece with long duration movement and thermometerRetailed by Howell James and Co, supplied by Thomas Cole, London. The French movement by Achille Brocot, No. 2803The case:veneered in richly grained coromandel, with darker sections used on the plinth mouldings and frames for the side panels, surmounted by a crisply engraved gilt-brass cupola on a plinth set at a 45 degree angle and decorated all over with engraved palmettes and interlocking latticework, on a beaded base, over curved shoulders to the canted corners, each corner set with a male or female term figure, the men with winged helmets, (representing Mercury), the women holding their own hair, (possibly representing Opportunity?), the stepped moulded base with heavy gilt brass band, (the original adjustable bun feet lacking, and now sold with replacement scroll feet, removed for the purposes of illustration, but accompanying the lot), the two arched glazed sides mounted with remarkable cut and engraved brass panels displaying a central urn of flowers within an exotic niche with anthemion border and quatrefoil arch framing a pair of crossed palm trees.The dial:the arched silvered dial measuring 12.5cms x 27cms (5ins x 10.5ins) with typical finely cut and finished blued steel hands reading against a Roman chapter ring with minute track framing an engraved centre of quartered anthemions, the mid section of the dial plate engraved with a repeat shaded quatrefoil pattern centred by the polished steel winding square shrouded by a shaped gilt brass escutcheon, over a curved glass mercury thermometer with lettered scale (FREEZG. - TEMPE. - SUMR. - BLOOD.- FEVER.) and the manual calendar table of engraved panels numbered 1-31, reading against a manually rotated day-of-the-week drum, flanked by engraved tendrils. The movement:The French long-duration movement by Achille Brocot, using his special jewelled deadbeat escapement behind the dial and driven by five spring barrels to give extended duration, the 12.5 inch long pendulum suspended from the original gilt brass pendulum block mounted on the underside of the cupola section, the brass base panel below mounted with the original sprung pendulum lock, in typical Cole fashion. 63cms (25ins) on the scroll feet. 57.5cms (22.5ins) high without the scroll feet. Footnotes:The two Cole brothers, James Ferguson (1798- 1880) and his younger brother Thomas (1800-1864) made an indelible mark on English horology in the 19th century. J.F.Cole has been dubbed 'The English Breguet' because of the exceptional watches and travelling clocks he produced. Thomas was awarded a medal for 'excellence of taste and design' in the 1862 London Exhibition, and the leader of the jury, Charles Frodsham wrote 'nothing could exceed the beauty of design and good taste of the varied models and general excellence of workmanship.' As well as signing his own name, Thomas was happy to supply various high class retailers.Most of Thomas's output was concentrated on his strut timepieces, usually less than 6 or 7 inches in height and occasionally incorporating manual calendar mechanisms. He also produced a range of 'novelty' timepieces in various forms such as cheval mirrors, mortars, bonbon dishes, candlesticks, inkstands and urns. Larger tripod clocks were also part of his stock. Mantel clocks - as opposed to strut, novelty or tripod clocks - account for a tiny percentage of his output. Hawkins in 'Thomas Cole & Victorian Clockmaking' Sydney, 1975, pp95-101 describes just three. Two of these are in gilt brass, and one is in coromandel. The latter example is illustrated in colour on the front cover of the book. Another coromandel example was sold in these rooms on 8th July 2015, lot 109, for a hammer price of £50,000. The current lot is now the third such clock to come to light; each is unique, suggesting that they were only made in exceptional circumstances, possibly for one of the international exhibitions at which Cole exhibited, 1851 Crystal Palace, 1855 Paris and 1862 London. The three known coromandel examples in summary:Hawkins front cover: Un-numbered, month duration movement, wound below VI. Dial divided into quarters, no seconds indication, but with power reserve hand, manual calendar table and vertical thermometer. Lattice-work engraved mask. Four applied winged figures. Glazed sides with pierced and engraved gilt mask. Hawkins suggests possibly made for the 1862 London Exhibition. Bonhams July 2015: Numbered 1594, retailed by Thomas Boxell, Brighton. Long duration movement wound below VI. Dial divided into quarters, subsidiary seconds dial, but no further features or side panels. Two applied winged figures.The current lot: Un-numbered, retailed by Howell James & Co. Replacement long duration movement. Dial divided into quarters, no seconds indication, but with manual calendar table and curved thermometer. Lattice-work engraved mask. Four applied figures. Glazed sides with pierced and engraved gilt mask. The figures of this clock allude to trade and enterprise - perfect symbols for international exhibitions of the mid 19th century. The figure of Mercury is instantly recognizable by his winged hat, or petasus. One of the twelve Greek gods of Olympus, he also appears in Roman art and was revered by them as the god of Commerce, hence the purse he points to in his raised left hand. In allegorical terms, he personifies Eloquence and Reason - none of this would have been lost on Cole's highly educated, and by definition, commercially successful, clientele.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
