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OSWALD LEE HARVEY: (1939-1963) American private with the United States Marine Corps, the assassin of John F. Kennedy. A rare A.L.S., Lee, two pages (written to the first and third sides of the feint ruled bifolium), 8vo, n.p. (Russia), 30th November 1961, to his brother Robert. Oswald informs his brother that a package 'with a few little Christmas presents' has been send that day although it 'may be a little late you may not get it until about New Years', further writing 'We still haven't recived (sic) any word about our visas. Marina says that she cannot wait untill (sic) she gets to the U.S. and sees little Robert Jr. If you like, you can send me a football (they only have round one's here) just deflate it & send it to me like a letter. Also you can pick up a few diagrams of plays at any filling station and send them along also, these Russians seem interested in learning how to play, so I thought maybe you could help me out and together we'll show them a little bit of American sport. Our deal about the visas is not getting any better, and I think about New Years, I'll fly into Moscow, and go to the Embassy about it. As time goes on, our complaints, and their inactivity, will bring things to a head, and one side or the other will break' and concluding 'We sent you a can of a kind of Russian candy, called "KHAIIVA", it's made from grain and sugar, so when you'll open the package you'll know its candy. I eat alot (sic) of it, if you all like it, will send some more'. VGProvenance: The present letter was included in the Warren Commission as Exhibit No. 308 (see pages 849-850 of Volume XVI of the Warren Commission Hearings). Lee Harvey Oswald had travelled to the Soviet Union in October 1959 and almost immediately after arriving expressed his desire to become a Soviet citizen, claiming that he was a communist. His application for citizenship was refused on 21st October, the day his visa was due to expire, and he was informed that he had to leave the Soviet Union that evening. Oswald's departure was delayed due to a self-inflicted injury and the Soviets kept him under psychiatric observation in a Moscow hospital for a week. In January 1960 Oswald was sent to Minsk where he was given employment as a lathe operator. A year later Oswald was beginning to reconsider his decision (although he had never formally renounced his U.S. citizenship) and wrote to the Embassy of the United States in Moscow requesting the return of his American passport. In March 1961 Oswald met Marina Prusakova, a pharmacology student, and they married six weeks later. On 24th May 1962 the Oswalds applied at the US Embassy in Moscow for documents that enabled Marina to immigrate to the United States. The couple and their infant daughter left for the United States on 1st June and soon settled in the Dallas area. 

CARTER HOWARD: (1874-1939) English archaeologist and Egyptologist who discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1923. A.L.S., with his initials HC, one page, 8vo, Prince's Gate Court, London, 4th July 1931, to the Secretary of the National Art Collections Fund. Carter writes, in part, 'Would you be so kind as to give to bearer, my chauffeur, the two pieces of Egyptian sculpture', and identifying both, one being the 'head of Ramesses the Great'. Rare. One very small, minor tear and rust stain to the upper edge, otherwise VG Carter acted as a part-time dealer in Egyptian antiquities for both collectors and museums and the source of a number of items in his personal collection is shrouded in controversy. Over a dozen pieces he owned were identified after Carter's death as having been taken by the Egyptologist from Tutankhamun's tomb without authorisation.

GEORGE V: (1865-1936) King of the United Kingdom 1910-36. An unusual L.S., George R.I., as King, with holograph salutation and subscription, three pages, small 4to, Buckingham Palace, 31st March 1916, to Yuan Shikai, President of the Republic of China ('Our Good Friend'), on stationery featuring a gold embossed coat of arms at the head. The King states that he has received 'with very great pleasure the reproduction of Our Portrait upon porcelain, which You recently caused to be forwarded to Us through Sir John Jordan, Our Minister at Peking' and continues 'We thank You most cordially for this gift which We look upon as a welcome testimony of Your friendliness and of the interest which You take in Us and Our Royal House. Sir John Jordan will have the honour of delivering this Letter to You, and We have commanded him to express to You Our warm appreciation of this pleasing manifestation of Your good-will, which We heartily reciprocate'. Countersigned at the conclusion by Edward Grey (1862-1933) 1stViscount Grey of Fallodon. British statesman who served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1905-16. An exceptional and extremely rare letter exchanged between the King of the United Kingdom and the President of the Republic of China, two of the largest world empires and powers of the early 20th century. VGYuan Shikai (1859-1916) President of the Republic of China 1912-15, 1916 and Emperor of China 1915-16. Yuan Shikai, a former Qing general, succeeded Sun Yat-sen as President in March 1912 and proclaimed himself as Emperor of China in 1915. In the face of popular condemnation and opposition from his own Beiyang Army, he was forced to abdicate and re-establish the republic in 1916.Sir John Jordan (1852-1925) British diplomat who served as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the United Kingdom to the Qing Empire 1906-10 and to the Republic of China 1910-20..

BESTALL ALFRED: (1892-1986) British illustrator and writer who submitted Rupert Bear stories for the London Daily Express from 1935-65. A fine, rare original black pen and ink drawing signed by Bestall, on a large 8vo page removed from an autograph album, n.p., n.d. (c.1930s/40s). Bestall has drawn a charming full-length image of Rupert Bear happily walking with a rucksack on his back and wearing his familiar checked trousers and matching scarf. Signed ('A. E. Bestall') by the artist at the foot of his drawing. Some very light, extremely minor age wear and a few very insignificant spots of foxing. VG

NERVAL GERARD DE: (1808-1855) Gerard Labrunie. French writer, poet and translator, a major figure of French romanticism. A rare Manuscript D.S., Gerard de Nerval, one page, slim oblong 8vo, n.p., 5th March 1851, in French. Nerval acknowledges the receipt of fifty francs from Monsieur Porcher, 'que je lui rendrai le cinq avril prochain' (Translation: 'which I will return to him on the fifth of April next'). Very slightly irregular edges and with some very minimal age wear, VGJean-Baptiste Porcher (1792-1864) French theatrical agent who served as a banker to playwrights, including his friend Alexandre Dumas pere.

NGOR HAING S.: (1940-1996) Cambodian-American physician and actor, Academy Award winner. Signed colour 8 x 10 photograph of Ngor kneeling in a full-length pose, in costume as Dith Pran, being restrained by two other individuals in a dramatic scene from the biographical drama film The Killing Fields (1984). It was for his performance in this movie that Ngor won his Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Signed in bold blue ink with his name alone to a clear area at the centre of the image. Autographs of Ngor are rare as a result of his murder at the age of 55. VG 

DRESSLER MARIE: (1868-1934) Canadian actress, Academy Award winner for Best Actress in 1930/31 for her role as Min Divot in Min and Bill. A wonderful, rare vintage signed and inscribed sepia 8 x 10 photograph of Dressler in a smiling head and shoulders pose. Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and bearing his blind stamp to the lower white border and credit stamp to the verso. Signed by Dressler in bold blue fountain pen ink to a clear area of the image. A couple of very light, minor corner creases, VG 

PYNCHON THOMAS: (1937-     ) American novelist. An extremely rare book signed and inscribed, being a soft cover edition of The Secret Integration, First Edition published by Aloes Books, London, 1980, one of a limited edition of 2,500 copies, with a cover collage and frontispiece illustration by Joe Tilson. Signed and inscribed by Pynchon ('For Irving - Thomas Pynchon') to the inside front cover. Some very minimal, light age wear and a few minor stains to the back cover, otherwise VG 

NATTA GIULIO: (1903-1979) Italian Chemist. Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963 together with Karl Ziegler for their work on high polymers. Rare bold blue ink signature `Cordialmente Giulio Natta´, to a postcard photograph, postmarked 20th June 1977. The front colour image shows three images of Macerata. VG

MARCEL GABRIEL: (1889-1973) French Philosopher, Playwright and Christian Existentialist. Widely regarded as the first French Existentialist, Marcel dissociated himself from Jean-Paul Sartre, preferring to his own thought as "Philosophy of Existence". Rare and very interesting T.L.S., Gabriel Marcel, four pages, 4to, n.p. [Paris], n.d. [c.1946-48], to Bernard Wall, in French. The lengthy typed document, containing few corrections in Marcel´s hand, being an exceptional political & philosophical text about Europe´s unification. A premonitory thought by Marcel, stating in part `I do not hesitate when I think that under a cultural point of view the political unification of Europe is desirable. I will go even further saying that I think that if this union is not achieved gradually…it is the end not only of our culture but also of the principles which permit to give meaning to life. Because if we remain in this incoherence and disorder, we will be evidently sentenced to succumb in a relatively short time under the pressure either of the Soviet world or under America.´ Marcel further refers to Malraux, to freedom concept, to religion, anarchy, to Gugliemo Ferrero when he opposed to the world of quantity the one of quality, saying `Occidental Europe can only fight for the defence of the quality against a world of massive production´. Marcel further again refers to federalism and to Europe options of surviving after WWII, saying `We must be blind not to be convinced…the recent History is full of teaching lessons..´ Before concluding Marcel refers to Nation and Federalism, and compares Europe to a human body, again a premonitory thought, stating `.. a contagion of reason, of goodwill, of generosity. In the same way that histologically there are proliferations not only of carcinogenic cells, but also good cellular tissues to cicatrize a wound… Human being tissues are to be redone. For this reason, the narrow point of view of Nationalism must be outpaced, although this doesn´t mean to deny the Nation. On the contrary, it is very possible that the Federalism is the only way to regenerate the Nation concept, releasing it of its excessive tasks which are making it heavier and causing its sclerosis.´ An extremely interesting manifesto in favour of forgotten human values. Folded, with very small overall age wear, otherwise G

TURGENEV IVAN: (1818-1883) Russian Novelist and Playwright. Very rare A.L.S., `I. Tourgueneff´, one page, 8vo, St. Petersbourg, Wednesday 24th/12th March 1880, as Editor of the Messager d´Europe, to Emile Zola, in French. Turgenev apologizes for his late letter and explains that is mind is somewhere else since he came back to St. Petersburg, stating in part `Mon cher ami, il y a longtemps que j´aurais du vous écrire, et je viens vous faire mes excuses. Mais depuis que je suis ici, je n´ai vraiment pas la tête a moi, et c´est dans un tourbillon que je vis´ (My dear friend, I should have written to you a long time ago, and I come to apologize to you. But since I've been here, I really don't have my mind focused on what I should, and it's in a whirlwind that I live") Further Turgenev refers to Zola´s work, saying `J´ai parlé avec Stassioulevitch de votre proposition relativement a la biographie. Il trouve cet ouvrage trop volumineux pour une revue, et il préfere en faire des extraits pour ses lecteurs une fois qu´il aura paru´ ("I have spoken to Stassioulevitch about your proposal related to the biography. He finds this work too voluminous for a magazine, and he prefers to make extracts from it for his readers, but once it has been published") Further again Turgenev refers to Zola´s work Nana, stating `Vous savez sans doute déja que la vente de Nana a été défendue ici - On trouve que cet ouvrage offense les moeurs. Pour avoir le droit de l´acheter il faut être un haut personage ou avoir le rang de Conseiller…´ ("You probably already know that the sale of Nana has been forbidden here - they consider that this book offends morals. To have the right to buy it you must be an important person or have the rank of counselor..") Before concluding Turgenev explains to Zola his near future travelling plans, including Paris in May, and shakes his hand friendly. An extraordinary letter exchange between two of the leading novelists of the 19th century. With blank integral leaf. Edges with small remnants of former affixing, otherwise G     Emile Zola (1840-1902) French Writer. Nominated for the first and second award of the Nobel of literature in 1901 and 1902. A leading figure in the political liberalization of France. Le Messager de l´Europe was a s a Petersburg newspaper which was first published in 1802 and which appeared until the 1830s twice a month. It moved to a conservative orientation from 1815. In 1814 they published Pushkin's poem To the Poet Friend. The idea of resuming the title and making it a quarterly review, in 1866, belonged to Mr. Stassioulevitch who directed it until 1908. The review became monthly in 1869 and ceased publication in 1918. Famous writers published extracts from their works or wrote articles, such as Turgenev, Ivan Goncharov or Alexander Ostrovsky. From the 1880s, the review took a rather "bourgeois-liberal" orientation and opposed the Marxism. Nana is a novel by Emile Zola. Completed in 1880, Nana is the ninth installment in the 20-volume Les Rougon-Macquart series. The novel was an immediate success. 

SAINT-EXUPERY ANTOINE DE: (1900-1944) French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist and pioneering aviator, remembered for his novella The Little Prince (1943). A.L.S., Antoine, four pages, 8vo, n.p. (Geneva) n.d. (23rd July 1919), to his cousin, Mademoiselle Bernardine de Menthon, in French. Saint-Exupery writes a charming letter, announcing that he is in Switzerland ('Helvetie') and is very happy, explaining that he has travelled by bicycle and boat and that if he had an afternoon free he would come and visit her at Thonon les Bains or Allinges, 'Mais.....vous savez ou ne savez plutot pas que je suis.....(chut!) que je suis admissible (chut! chut!) et que donc il faut que je travaille ferme (pour me faire d'ailleurs recaler a l'oral)' (Translation: 'But…..you know, or rather you don't know, that I am……(hush!), that I am admissible (hush! hush!) and that therefore I have to work hard (to get myself to fail the oral)'), and further writing 'J'ai, vous penser bien, tout oublie depuis novembre et comme a cette date la, vu la lucidite extraordinaire que donne un bourrage intensif de mathematiques. Je parlais deja a mon examinateur de la "Culture des elephants au congo". Je me demande avec effroi ce que je vais lui raconter cette fois-ci' (Translation: 'I have, thinking you well, forgotten everything since November and, as on that date, saw the extraordinary lucidity that an intensive jamming of mathematics gives. I have already talked to my examiner about the “Culture of elephants in the Congo”. I wonder with dread what I'm going to tell him this time'). Saint-Exupery adds that if he had time he would copy out some verses for his cousin, but his boat leaves in fifteen minutes and he doesn't want to miss it, also remarking that the Swiss have not changed and observing that they have an 'accent empreint d'un charme si indefinssable et si rare' (Translation: 'accent imbued with a charm so indefinable and so rare'), In a postscript he declares that he does not have her address with him and the safe receipt of his letter will be entirely down to the level of intelligence deployed by the postal workers. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Saint-Exupery. Some very light, extremely minimal age wear, VG Bernardine de Menthon (1900-1981) Cousin and friend of Saint-Exupery, who was also known as 'Dolly' to her family and friends.  

GILLES DE LA TOURETTE GEORGES: (1857-1904) French neurologist and the namesake of Tourette syndrome, whose main contributions in medicine were in the fields of hypnotism and hysteria. A rare A.L.S., Gilles de la Tour[ette], to one side of a printed correspondence card, Rue de l'Universite, Paris, 2nd March 1901, to 'Mon cher ami', in French. Gilles de la Tourette states that he saw Mr. H., who was charming, at the town hall, and that any misunderstandings have been dissipated, asking his correspondent to convey this news to another individual and remarking 'J'en suis tres heureux car il est malheureux toujours de perdre un ami, meme quand il est en esperance' (Translation: 'I am very happy because it is always unfortunate to lose a friend, even when he is in hope'). VG  

BOSCO JOHN: (1815-1888) Don Bosco. Italian Roman Catholic Priest, Educator and Writer. He developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method known as the Salesian Preventive System. Founder of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Canonized as a saint in 1934. An excellent and rare lengthy A.L.S., `Obbl.[igatissi]mo servitor Sac.[erdote] Bosco Gio.[vanni]´, two pages, 4to, Torino, 29th June 1866, to Countess Callori, in Italian. The letter bears to the upper left corner a Bath blind embossed seal. Saint John Bosco states in part `Al giorno 22 di questo mese partiva da Mirabello per andare a Casale, ma giunto alla stazione ho trovato le corse sospese, e dopo quindici ore di aspetto in Alessandria potei in fine giungere a Torino. Per questo motive non ho potuto andare a riverire Lei e la sua familia come desiderava a parlare de´nostri affari´ (Translation: `On the 22nd of this month I left Mirabello to go to Casale, but when I reached the station I found the transport suspended, and after waiting fifteen hours in Alessandria I was finally able to reach Turin. For this reason, I was unable to go and greet you and your family as I wished and to talk about our business´) Bosco further refers to his debt with the count and asks few questions to the Countess, saying `Ora le diro che dopo domani scade il mio debito verso il sig. Conte ed io debbo procurare di pagare il debito per acquistarmi crédito. Quando Ella era in casa Collegno mi disse che in questa época avrebbe fatto una oblazione per la Chiesa o per l´altare di S. Giuseppe, ma non fisso precisamente la somma. Abbia dunque la bontá di dirmi: 1) Se la sua carita comporta che faccia oblazioni in questo momento per noi e quali. 2) Dove dovrei indirizzare il danaro pel sig. Conte. 3) Se il sig. Conte per avventura ha pagamenti che possa fare con biglietti, oppure, siccome e cosa ragionevole, debbo cangiare i biglietti in napoleoni secondo che ho ricevuto…´ (Translation: `Now I will tell you that after tomorrow my debtlimit date with the Count expires and I must try to pay the debt to buy credit. When you were in the Collegno house you told me at that time that you would have made an oblation for the Church or for the altar of St. Joseph, but did not exactly fix the sum. Therefore, have the kindness to tell me: 1) If your charity would include that you make oblations for us at this moment and which ones? 2) Where should I pay the money for the Count? 3) If the Count by any chance has payments that he can make with notes, or, as it seems reasonable, I must change the bank notes into napoleons according to what I have received…´) Small overall minor age wear and creasing, otherwise G Countess Carlota Calori di Vignale (1827-1911) one of the most important financial benefactors of Bosco´s projects. Bosco considered Countess Callori as his second-mother.

GROTIUS HUGO: (1583-1645) Dutch Humanist, Diplomat, Lawyer, Theologian, Jurist, Poet & Playwright. A rare A.L.S., H Grotius, one page, folio, n.p., 12th January 1645, to Ludwig Camerarius, in Latin. Grotius states that he has received his correspondent's noble letters mentioning the Burweiler goods and remarks 'I have not considered yet how much all this could benefit the more King Gustav; not so much because of my will, but because of them. Merits are fine, but for myself what remains is the memory', further adding 'And as far as I know this same process has served us well. To have put to the test everything that I always was, at most someone cultivated for the post of Camerlengo'. With integral address leaf bearing two small red wax seals. Some light overall damp staining, minor uniform age toning to the body of text and signature, a lengthy, neat horizontal split to the centre, a few other smaller neat splits at folds and some evidence of repairs to the integral leaf, G  Ludwig Camerarius (1573-1651) German Statesman & Lawyer, head of King Frederick V's government in exile in the Hague. Camerarius also served Swedish interests later in his life. In the present letter Grotius would appear to refer to Gustavus Adolphus (1594-1632) King of Sweden 1611-32, credited for the rise of Sweden as a major European power. 

DODGSON CHARLES LUTWIDGE: (1832-1898) Lewis Carroll. English author, poet and mathematician whose works include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865). A very fine, rare manuscript poem, unsigned, one page, oblong 8vo, n.p., 18th February 1884. The poem, penned in Dodgson's characteristic violet ink, is dedicated 'To a young Lady, of whom I was in doubt whether she expected to be called "Miss so-and-so" or "So-and-so" without the "Miss"' at the head, with the two quatrains beneath, reading, in full -'Take not amiss this missile dread:Nor maim my mystic hope,Miscalling me a much misledMistaken misanthrope!My missive's meant to murmur this,With mute mysterious touch:-If I should merely miss the 'Miss',Would you, Miss, miss it much?'Autograph poems by Dodgson are extremely rare and desirable, and the present example (marked '[Copy]' alongside the reference number 46309, both in the writer's hand, and therefore presumably his own retained manuscript) is particularly inventive and humorous and with an interesting association, having been composed for [Miss] Elizabeth Hussey. A couple of very light, extremely minor creases, VGElizabeth 'Bessie' Ley Hussey (1852-1919) was the daughter of Robert Hussey (1803-1856) and his wife Elizabeth née Ley (1810-1896). Robert Hussey was the Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Oxford, where the family lived until moving to Brighton following Robert's death. When Dodgson arrived in Oxford as an undergraduate at Christ Church in 1851 he took rooms with Jacob Ley, Elizabeth Hussey's brother. Dodgson is known to have photographed members of the Hussey family, including the young Elizabeth and her mother on 26th April 1864, some twenty years prior to writing the present verse. The present poem originally came to light in July 2014 at which time it was noted as being both 'unrecorded and unpublished', and it has not appeared on the market since being acquired by the present vendor almost a decade ago.   

ZIEGLER KARL: (1898-1973) German Chemist. Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963 together with Giulio Natta for their work on high polymers. Rare bold blue ink signature `Friendly regards, Karl Ziegler´, in German, to a postcard photograph, postmarked 13th November 1963, from the Max Planck Institute, on the year of his Nobel award. G

REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT - URRUTIA MANUEL: (1901-1981) President of Cuba from January to July 1959. Urrutia resigned his position a will better only seven months, owing to a series of disputes with Fidel Castro, and emigrated to the United States shortly afterward. Rare D.S., `Urrutia´, one page, Presidential Palace La Habana, 13th February 1959, "Year of the Liberation'', in Spanish. The typed document is a decree, according to which Doctor Manuel Urrutia Lleo, in his capacity as President of the Republic of Cuba, states that the council of Ministers has approved the law nº 72, containing two articles stating in part `Article One: We declare dissolve the National Sports Committee and removed from their posts all members of the Committee on the 31 December 1958. Article Two: All faculties and power that law establishes regarding National Sports Committee will be in hand of the Delegate and General Director of Sports that the President of the Republic will appoint...´ Countersigned at the base by Prime Minister Jose Miro Cardona and by the Minister of Education. The document bears at the base a large and attractive blue paper seal of the Cuban Presidency with ribbons affixed. Three binder half-holes to the left border, small tears to the right edge not affecting the signatures. G Jose Miro Cardona (1902-1974) Cuban Politician who served as Prime Minister for a very short period of six weeks. He was appointed by President Urrutia in January 1959 but unexpectedly resigned in February 1959 and was replaced by Fidel Castro.   

DARWELL JANE: (1879-1967) American actress, Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress in 1940 for her role as Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. A rare vintage signed sepia 7.5 x 9.5 photograph of Darwell in a half-length pose, holding a pipe in one hand, in costume as Aunt Ri Hyar from the Western drama film Ramona (1936). Signed by Darwell in dark fountain pen ink to a clear area at the head of the image, further identifying her character name and film title in her hand. A few minor surface and corer creases, one only very slightly touching the signature. About VG

MARCH FREDRIC: (1897-1975) American actor, Academy Award winner for Best Actor in 1931/32 for his roles as Dr. Henry L. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Signed 8 x 10 photograph, the composite image featuring head and shoulders studies of March in costume as both Dr. Henry L. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, his Oscar winning roles. Signed ('Fredric March') with his name alone in dark fountain pen ink to the image, across a dark area although still reasonably legible. Rare in this form. A few very light, extremely minor corner creases, VG

BERLIOZ HECTOR: (1803-1869) French Composer. A rare and extremely fine A.M.Q.S., `H. Berlioz´, one page, oblong 4to, Vienna, 3rd February 1840, to Ch. Walter, in French. Berlioz has very carefully and cleanly penned a ten bars musical quote, which he entitles `Thème de l´adagio de Romeo et Juliette (scene d´amour)´ (Translation: `Theme of the adagio of Romeo & Juliette (love scene)) Berlioz also annotates to the heading the musical tempo `Andante´. Signed and inscribed by Berlioz `Pour l´album de Mr. Ch. Walter, avec mille remerciements de la part de son dévoué H.Berlioz´ (Translation: `For Mr. Ch. Walter´s autograph album, with a thousand of thanks from his devoted H.Berlioz´) Also dated in Berlioz´s hand. EX Berlioz composed his choral symphony Romeo et Juliette in 1839. It was premiered on 24th November 1839. This large-scale work is regarded as one of Berlioz's finest works, and is widely considered his most comprehensive and detailed programmatic piece. The composition of Romeo et Juliette was made possible by the generous gift of 20,000 francs by Niccolo Paganini after hearing a performance of Harold en Italie in Paris in 1838, the great virtuoso had publicly knelt before Berlioz and hailed him as the heir of Beethoven. Paganini died shortly after, and did not read or hear the piece. Berlioz used the money primarily to repay his debts, and afterwards was still left with a good sum of money, which he used to allow himself to put his full focus towards working on "a really important work", unobstructed by his usual time-consuming obligations as a critic. The present Autograph Musical Quote was signed only two months after its premiere.

STEINBECK JOHN: (1902-1968) American author, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1962. A charming and amusing fountain pen ink drawing and sentiment signed by Steinbeck to the head of a 4to page removed from an album, n.p. (Avignon), n.d. (annotated 20th November 1961 in another hand to the upper right corner). In bold blue fountain pen ink Steinbeck has penned a sentiment, in French, 'J'y suis, J'y mange, J'y reste' (translation 'I am here, I eat here, I rest here'), adding his signature beneath, immediately followed by an amusing ink sketch of a large, round flying pig, beneath which Steinbeck has added the French phrase Ci-git, usually used to precede a name on a tombstone. The lower half of the page bears a blue ink signature and sentiment ('With very pleasant memories of lovely Avignon, Byron Janis') by Byron Janis (1928-    , American pianist), dated November 1961 in his hand. A rare and attractive example of Steinbeck's signature, which could be neatly excised from the page if so desired. VG Pigasus, the flying pig, was used by John Steinbeck throughout his life as a trademark symbol of himself, earthbound but aspiring.  Provenance: The present page originates from the restaurant visitor's book of Jean Cassini, a renowned French restaurateur in Avignon, both at the Hotel d'Europe and his own establishment, Restaurant Cassini. The visitor's book was in use from 1957-82. 

FONTANA LUCIO: (1899-1968) Argentine-Italian Painter and Sculptor. Known as the Founder of Spatialism. Rare A.L.S., `Lucio Fontana´, one page, 4to, Milano, 16th January 1959, to Monsieur George Kasper, in Italian. Fontana thanks his correspondent for his letter dated 13th and for his very kind words, further stating in part `Regarding your interesting proposal, unfortunately I cannot take a personal decision because I have to agree this with my artistic agent Palazioli of the Bleu gallery, I leave today to Paris and will give you an answer on my return..´ Few creases to the edges, otherwise VG

MITCHELL THOMAS: (1892-1962) American actor, Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actor in 1939 for his role as Doc Boone in Stagecoach. An excellent vintage signed and inscribed 8 x 10 photograph of Mitchell seated in a full-length pose in the back of a horse drawn carriage, alongside an actress, in a scene from a Western film. Signed in bold blue fountain pen ink to a light area at the head of the image, 'To Pete - Best wishes, Thomas Mitchell'. Rare. Some very light, minor creasing to the edges and corners, otherwise VG

[FOUNDING FATHERS THE]: WITHERSPOON JOHN: (1723-1794) Scottish-American Presbyterian minister and educator, a Founding Father of the United States who was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence on 4th July 1776, being the only active clergyman and the only college president to sign the Declaration. An extremely rare series of autograph manuscript notes, unsigned, one page, 8vo, n.p. (Scotland), n.d. (January; 1763). Witherspoon's notes are written to the verso of a printed page removed from an almanac, and provide an account of his activities as a Church of Scotland minister, in part, 'Sabbath Jan[uary] lectured on the ordinary Ps[alm] 145.13 to the Lord, Mr. Simpson preached for me….Afternoon, preached on 1. Sam[uel] 25.6 And thus shall ye say….Tuesday Jan[uary] 4. Preached the sermon before the Society for Reformation of Manners on Jer[emiah] 5.26 For among my people are found crooked men. No sermon this week on Thursday……Thursday Jan[uary] 13 Mr Baines preached in the Laigh church….' With a contemporary annotation in an unidentified hand to the verso, 'autograph of the Rev. Doctor John Witherspoon'. Some light age wear and a few minor stains, the left edge a little irregularly torn. About VGThe page was evidently removed from an Almanac printed in Scotland (as it provides the high water information for Leith) and states that January begins on Saturday. This information, coupled with Witherspoon's references to Laigh Kirk church in Paisley, of which he was the minister from 1758-68, means that the notes can be reasonably dated to 1763.

LEGENDRE ADRIEN-MARIE: (1752-1833) French mathematician who made numerous contributions to mathematics. A fine, rare A.L.S., Legendre, two pages, small 4to, Paris, 19th December 1817, to the members of the Royal Commission of Public Instruction, in French. Legendre writes following an ordinance of the King relating to the pensions of former members of the Council of the university, stating that he has received their extract of the ordinance and remarking 'Puisqu'une ordonnance du Roy etoit necessaire pour rendre special le tire de chaque pension, peut etre auriez-vous pu profiter de cette circonstance, Messieurs, pour solliciter en notre faveur une interpretation de l'ordonnance du 17 fevrier 1815, qu'eut designe nos pensions par le meme mot dont M. de Fontanes a si heureusement profite, pour empecher que sa pension de 30,000 fr. fut reduite comme les notres a 6000' (Translation: 'Since an ordinance from the King was necessary to make the drawing of each special pension, perhaps you could have taken advantage of this circumstance, gentlemen, to solicit in our favour an interpretation of the ordinance of 17th February 1815, which would have been designated by the same word which M. de Fontanes so happily took advantage of to prevent his pension of 30,000 francs being reduced like ours to 6000') and concluding 'Nous aurions aussi connu le pouvoir d'un mot mis a sa place, et en mon particulier je n'aurois pas ete aussi rudement froisse de l'application rigoureuse de la loi du dernier Budget' (Translation: 'We would also have known the power of a word put in its place, and in my particular case I would not have been so rudely offended by the rigorous application of the law of the last Budget'). With integral address leaf in Legendre's hand. A few contemporary ink annotations in an unidentified hand appear at the head of the first page. VGLouis-Marcelin de Fontanes (1757-1821) Marquis de Fontanes. French poet and politician, commissioned by Napoleon to write a eulogy on George Washington. Fontanes was the lover of Napoleon's sister, Elisa Bonaparte, for several years and the liaison assured him of his fortune. In 1808 Napoleon appointed Fontanes as Grand Master of the University of Paris, a post he held until 1815. Fontanes was accused of servility to Napoleon, although did consistently support religious and monarchical principles and it was therefore easy to foresee the joy with which Fontanes greeted the return of King Louis XVIII at the Restoration. The King rewarded him with a seat in the Chamber of Peers and also made him a Marquis on 31st August 1817. He had already been a Count since 1808 by the grace of the Emperor.  

EISENHOWER DWIGHT D.: (1890-1969) American General of World War II, later American President 1953-61. A.L.S., Dwight D Eisenhower, one page, slim 4to (onion skin), Fraser, Colorado, 23rd July n.y. (1952), to Professor Edward Olsen. Eisenhower states that he is returning his correspondent's card (no longer present) and apologises for the appearance of his signature, explaining `In the fishing camp where I'm spending my few days of vacation the only pen I have is a bit on the balky side! Anyway, I'm flattered that you should consider an excerpt from a talk of mine to be worthy of preservation.' Together with a carbon copy of Olsen's letter to Eisenhower, one page, 4to, 20th July 1952, requesting a signed quotation from his 1948 address accepting the presidency of Columbia University, and also including a brief T.L.S. by Olsen, one page, 4to, Oregon, 10th July 1991, explaining the circumstances under which he wrote to Eisenhower. Rare in this form. VG.                                                                     Eisenhower's letter is written shortly after securing the Republican Party nomination for the Presidential Campaign of 1952. Holograph letters of Eisenhower are rare and desirable. Larry Vrzalik and Michael Minor state in their book From the President's Pen (1991) 'Eisenhower is one of the rarest of all presidents in A.Ls.S. for all periods, particularly of presidential date.'

GARBO GRETA: (1905-1990) Swedish-American actress, the recipient of an Honorary Academy Award. A rare T.L.S., Greta Garbo (a good, large, bold example), one page, 4to, n.p., February 1933, to Joseph S. Buhler. The actress acknowledges receipt of a cheque 'to my order of the Treasurer of the United States in the sum of $38.57, being refund for over payment on my 1931 income tax'. To the verso appears a few words written by Garbo in pencil, 'Greetings and thanks'. Some very light, minimal creasing, otherwise VG

ELUARD PAUL: (1895-1952) French Poet, widely considered one of the founders of the surrealist movement. A rare and very good content love letter, A.L.S., `Ton Paul´, one page, 12mo, n.p., Tuesday evening, n.d. [Summer 1930], to Marie Benz, Nush, in French. One of the very few letters by Eluard to Nush as they were almost never far one from each other until her death, the present one is written shortly after their first encounter. Eluard states `Ma petite Nush chérie, j´ai reçu ta lettre ce matin. Elle est très bien écrite et m´a consolé un peu de ne pas t´avoir auprès de moi´ (Translation: `My dear little Nush, I received your letter this morning. It is very well written and consoled me a little for not having you with me´) Eluard further refers to his work with André Breton, saying `Je travaille sans arrêt avec Breton. Ce matin et cet après-midi, nous avons écrit "Le sentiment de la nature" et ce soir nous faisons "Il n´y a rien d´incompréhensible". Nous voulons avoir fini dans deux jours car je vais partir´ (Translation: `I work constantly with Breton. This morning and this afternoon we wrote "The feeling of nature" and this evening we are writing "There is nothing incomprehensible". We want to have it done in two days because I'm leaving´) Further again, Eluard sends very warm words to the woman he is in love with, saying `Ma belle Nush, je pense à toi. Je t´aime, tu sais. Dis-moi bien tout ce que tu fais. Ecris-moi chaque jour. Je t´embrasse, je te tiens dans mes bras, je regarde tes beaux yeux. Ton Paul´ (Translation: `My beautiful Nush, I'm thinking of you. I love you, you know. Tell me everything you do. Write to me every day. I kiss you, I hold you in my arms, I look at your beautiful eyes. Your Paul´) With blank integral leaf. VG Maria Benz (1906-1946) Best known by her nickname "Nusch". French Model and surrealist Artist. She was introduced to Eluard in 1930 by Man Ray and Pablo Picasso, getting married in 1934. They produced a surrealist photomontage and other work, and was the subject of "Facile," a collection of Éluard's poetry published as a photogravure book, illustrated with Man Ray´s nude photographs of her. She was also the subject of several cubist portraits and sketches by Picasso in the late 1930s, and is said to have had an affair with him. Nusch worked for the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation of France during World War II. She died at the early age of 40 due to a stroke. During the summer of 1930, Paul Eluard and Andre Breton wrote jointly L´Immaculée Conception ("The Immaculate Conception"). The two prose poems mentioned in the present letter by Eluard, "Le sentiment de la nature" and "Il n´y a rien d´incompréhensible" are regarded as some of the most important examples of surrealist prose. 

BECQUEREL HENRI: (1852-1908) French physicist, the first person to discover evidence of radioactivity. Nobel Prize winner for Physics, 1903. A good set of manuscript notes, scientific calculations and diagrams prepared by Becquerel, unsigned, two pages, oblong 4to, n.p., n.d., in French. The notes, presumably prepared by the physicist for a lecture, are headed Radioactivity, and form an extensive list of prompts, in part, 'Historical. 1st Observation 1896. 1st proof. Medal. Discharge of electrified bodies. Experiment on phosphorescent sulphides. General for uranium salts. Atomic property. Role of the air. Laws of loss. Exp. by Kelvin, Beattie and de Smolan, 1897. Rutherford 1899. Ionization. Saturation current, 1898. Thorium. M. Schmidt and M. Curie. Work of M. and Mme. Curie. Polonium. Radium. Debierne. Actinium. Radium spectrum. Magnetic deviation experiences. Giesel, Meyer and Schveider. H. B. Cliches. Concentration. Deviable and non-deviable rays'. To the foot of the first page appear various scientific calculations and in the left column of each page Becquerel has added eleven small pen sketches illustrating the deviations of Polonium. An interesting and rare scientific manuscript on the subject for which Becquerel is most famous, and in which he acknowledges the contributions made by his colleagues including Pierre and Marie Curie, Ernest Rutherford etc. VG 

A wonderful original Disney sketch of Mickey Mouse, made for a studio employee in the 1940sDISNEY WALT: (1901-1966) American animator, Academy Award winner. An excellent, original pencil drawing signed by Walt Disney, one page, 4to, n.p. (Burbank. California), n.d. (1940s). Disney has executed a swift, although highly appealing, image of the head of Mickey Mouse, undoubtedly his most famous creation. Boldly signed ('Walt Disney') with a large signature immediately beneath the sketch. Matted in pale brown within an oval aperture alongside a photograph of Disney in a smiling head and shoulders pose and attractively framed and glazed in a modern decorative frame to an overall size of 20.5 x 14.5. A wonderful original drawing, both rare and highly desirable. One light, minor stain to the head of the page, not affecting the image or signature, VGProvenance: Accompanied by a typed letter of provenance signed by Michael Miller, dated 22nd March 2023 and stating, in part, 'My mother, Suzanne (Suzie) Miller started working at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California on the 21st of October 1940. She worked there until 1944 in the eight wing animation building, and would work around artists, animators and story men…..Walt's office was also used for conferences with directors, animators, artists and any creative team would share ideas in order to create the next big Disney hit. After a meeting, my mother asked Walt for a signature, and Walt kindly smiled and drew this sketch of Mickey and signed it in pencil. She kept it since the 1940's and was then given to me, Michael Miller (her son)'. 

WHALE JAMES: (1889-1957) English film director of several classic horror films including Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). An exceptional vintage signed and inscribed 8 x 10 photograph of Whale in a head and shoulders pose. Photograph by Roman Freulich and bearing his Universal Pictures credit stamp to the verso. Signed by Whale in bold, dark fountain pen ink across a light area at the base of the image, 'To Donald Weeks, with best wishes & here's hoping he likes “The Bride of Frankenstein”, James Whale', and dated 1935 in his hand. Autographs of Whale are extremely rare in any form, and signed photographs of this quality (and enhanced by the inscription) are of the utmost desirability. A few light corner and surface creases, largely to the white borders. VG Roman Freulich (1898-1974) Polish-born American photographer, known for his portraits and movie stills. Freulich worked extensively with James Whale and was the stills photographer for Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). The classic science fiction horror film Bride of Frankenstein was the sequel to the 1931 film Frankenstein. Both movies starred Boris Karloff as the Monster and Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein, and the Bride of Frankenstein also starred Elsa Lanchester in the dual role of Mary Shelley and the titular character at the end of the film.  

HEPBURN KATHARINE: (1907-2003) American actress, Academy Award winner for Best Actress in 1968 for her role as Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter and again in 1981 for her role as Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond. A good vintage signed and inscribed 6.5 x 10 photograph of Hepburn in a relaxed semi-profile head and shoulders pose in costume from her Oscar winning performance as Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of King Henry II of England, from the historical drama film The Lion in Winter, set around the Christmas of 1183. Signed by Hepburn in bold black ink to a light area of the image and inscribed to Lucy Guffey, wife of cinematographer Burnett Guffey, 'For Lucy, affectionately, Kate'. Rare in this form. About EXBurnett Guffey (1905-1983) American cinematographer, Academy Award winner for From Here to Eternity (1953) and Bonnie and Clyde (1967).

PICABIA FRANCIS: (1879-1953) French Painter and Poet. An Avant-garde artist associated with Cubism. Picabia was also one of the early main figures of the Dada movement. Rare A.L.S., `F. Picabia´, two pages, 4to, Paris, 32 Av. Charles Floquet, Monday, n.d., to a Colonel, in French. Picabia states in part `I have just learned about your visit to Paris. I very much regret not having met you´ further asking a service `Can you do me a small service regarding my friend Marcel Loridan, aviator who will be appointed Knight of the Legion d´Honneur in the month of July; it would be a question of knowing if his nomination is something more or less sure, as this information would be very useful for him to have it right now…´ Small creasing and minor age wear, mostly to edges, with a very small tear to the folding edge, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise G    Marcel Loridan (1883-1971) French pioneer Aviator. Winner of the Michelin Cup, Loridan established in 1911 the world altitude record with his Farman biplane, and further also records for longest flights in time and distance. Loridan was a pilot in the French Army during the First World War, being awarded with the Croix de guerre 1914-1918.

A FINE GEORGE III BRASS MOUNTED EBONISED TRIPLE-PAD TOP TABLE CLOCK WITH SILENT VERGE ESCAPEMENT JOHN FLADGATE, LONDON, CIRCA 1775The six pillar twin fusee bell striking movement with verge escapement incorporating stretched gut lines for the pallets and regulated by lenticular bob pendulum with pivoted rise-fall regulation to suspension, the backplate engraved with symmetrical foliate strapwork scrolls around a central signature John Fladgate, London and pendulum holdfast, the 6 inch brass break-arch dial with shaped false bob aperture to the matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with Arabic five minutes beyond the minute track, with delicate pierced steel hands and rococo cast spandrels to angles beneath arch with twin subsidiary regulation and Strike/Silent selection dials within foliate scroll engraved infill and with recessed shaped silvered plate signed John Fladgate, London to upper margin between, the triple-pad top break-arch case with hinged brass carrying handle to the brass fillet-bordered central top panel over generous ogee and cavetto arch mouldings and hinged front door inset with conforming brass fillet surround to the glazed aperture and with brass mouldings to front angles, the sides with arched brass-bordered windows and the rear matching the front, on brass bound cavetto moulded skirt base fitted with generous ogee-shaped cast bracket feet.37cm (14.5ins) high with handle down, 25.5cm (10ins) wide, 19cm (7.5ins) deep. Provenance:Purchased at Nigel Ward and Company, Pontrilas, Hereford sale entitled Special September Auction of Miscellaneous Objet d'Art, Collectables, Porcelain, Glass, Antique & Country Furniture 10th September 2016 (lot 1303) for £7,200 hammer. John Fladgate is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as admitted to the Clockmakers` Company in 1743 and first working in partnership with Richard Wilder until the firm was dissolved in 1775. Fladgate subsequently worked alone until his death in 1781 with the business continued by his widow until 1793. The engraving on the backplate of the present clock conforms to 'Style E' design of 'Fruit and Flower Baskets' as categorised by Sunny Dzik in ENGRAVING ON ENGLISH TABLE CLOCKS, Art on a Canvas of Brass; Dzik illustrates a related backplate executed for another clock by Fladgate on page 306 (Figure 17.13). The silent escapement is a relatively rare feature and is achieved by stretching gut lines between steel tines to form the pallets. This removes any sound that would normally be generated by 'metal-to-metal' contact whilst the escapement is beating. The provision of this refinement suggests that the original owner may well have intended the clock to be used in a bed chamber. Condition Report: Movement appears complete and all-original (including the escapement) with no visible evidence of alteration or noticeable replacements. The movement is in full working order however it is somewhat dirty/dusty hence a gentle clean/service will be required. The dial is in fine original condition albeit with some patchy oxidation to the silvered finishes. The case is in very good original condition retaining its original locks and hinges with faults very much limited to slight historic shrinkage/movement and a few light bumps and scuffs. The ebonised finish has overall slight edge rubbing and some unevenness in places; the brass mounts have commensurate discolouration/light patination.Generally a fine original clock in very good overall condition. Clock has winder and a case key. Condition Report Disclaimer

†&nbspA VERY FINE GEORGE I BURR WALNUT EIGHT-DAY LONGCASE CLOCKGEORGE GRAHAM, LONDON, NO. 662 CIRCA 1725The five latched knopped pillar two train bell striking movement with thick plates measuring 7.625 inches high by 6 inches wide stamped 662 to the lower edge at the rear, the going train with bolt-and-shutter maintaining power, deadbeat escapement with inverted Y-shaped pallets, and regulated by the original brass-rod seconds pendulum with calibrated rating nut reading against a brass nib-piece to the lenticular bob, the rack strike train with finely worked steelwork and extensive use of cocks for the pivots incorporating distinctive sculpted feet screwed to the frontplate, the 12 inch square brass dial with narrow subsidiary seconds ring, shuttered winding holes, calendar aperture incorporating pin adjustment and oval plate signed Geo: Graham, London to the finely matted centre, within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with diamond lozenge half hour markers and Arabic five minutes beyond the minute track, with scroll-pierced blued steel hands and double-screwed fine gilt Indian mask and scroll cast spandrels to angles with foliate strapwork engraved infill to the margins between, the right-hand edge with slotted lever for the bolt-and-shutter maintaining power and the lower edge engraved with repeat signature Geo: Graham, London, the movement and dial with original seatboard and secured via a brass T-bracket applied to the inside of the backboard behind the movement, the case with moulded upstand to the domed caddy surmount set on shallow mounded box upstand with cavetto moulded upper edge, over ogee moulded cornice, foliate scroll fretwork frieze and hinged front with glazed dial aperture flanked by three-quarter columns with crisply cast gilt brass capitals and bases to the front angles, the sides with fine scroll-pierced frets and conforming quarter columns set against bargeboards at the rear continuing up past the frieze to meet the underside of the lintel, the trunk with concave throat moulding over 40 inch rectangular door fronted with fine book-matched figured veneers within a slender herringbone border and complex cavetto cross-grain edge mouldings, the interior of the door with remnants of the original paper equation table beneath ivorine service label for CAMERER CUSS and various inventory numbers, the left hand top edge of the door punch stamped 662, the sides veneered with twin herringbone bordered panels within crossbanded surrounds, the plinth base with cavetto top moulding over herringbone bordered book matched veneered front and conforming single panel veneered sides, on cavetto moulded skirt.224cm (88.25ins) high, 49.5cm (19.5ins) wide, 26cm (10.25ins) deep. Provenance:The property of a central London financial institution; acquired prior to 1925 to form part of a collection housed in a purpose-built prestigious Georgian style office building.George Graham was born in around 1673 in Kirklinton, Cumberland, but by 1688 he had moved to London and entered into an apprenticeship with Henry Aske. Graham gained his freedom of the Clockmakers' Company in 1695 and went to work for Thomas Tompion, whose niece, Elizabeth, he married at St. Mary le Bow in September 1704. After the Tompion's failed partnership with Edard Banger Graham was trusted to become his successor with the two makers entering into a formal a partnership in 1711. On Tompion's death in 1713 George Graham inherited the business 'on the corner of Water Lane in Fleet Street' and continued there until 1720 when he relocated to 'the Dial and One Crown' further up Fleet Street, nearer Fleet Bridge.George Graham maintained the same exacting standards as his former master and also continued the serial numbering system established in around 1680/81. In 1722 he served as Master of the Clockmakers' Company and went on to establish himself as one of the most important clockmakers of his generation. Amongst his achievements was the further development of the deadbeat escapement, invention of the mercury compensated pendulum and the cylinder watch escapement. As well as clocks and watches George Graham was also a highly accomplished maker of scientific instruments with perhaps his most famous creation being the planetarium made for Charles Boyle, Earl of Orrery. He also produced the great mural quadrant for Edmund Halley at Greenwich observatory, also a fine transit instrument and the zenith sector used by James Bradley in his discoveries. Through his observations in testing his very highly regarded compasses Graham also discovered the diurnal variation in the terrestrial magnetic field in 1722/23.George Graham also became an ardent supporter of John Harrison in the development of his marine chronometers to the extent that he forwarded an interest free private loan of £200 to Harrison to facilitate the building of H1. George Graham died in 1751 and was buried next to his former master in Westminster Abbey, leaving the business in the hands of a former apprentices, Samuel Barclay and Thomas Colley. George Graham's legacy is perhaps best reflected by the subsequent work of another former apprentice, Thomas Mudge, who went on to continue in the development of the marine chronometer after Harrison, and to invent the lever watch escapement. The present clock is a fully-developed 'textbook' example of George Graham's highly refined design of longcase clock produced from just prior to 1720 until around the time of his death in 1751. Very much following in his former master's footsteps the fully latched movement incorporates bolt-and-shutter maintaining power, very finely finished delicate steelwork and extensive use of cocks for the under-dial motion and strike work. The escapement is of 'Graham' deadbeat type however this design of escapement was first used by Tompion for two regulators for Greenwich observatory in 1776. The original pendulum is a nice, relatively rare survivor and allows precise adjustment via the calibrated rating nut reading against a nib-piece applied to the large lenticular bob. The dial is beautifully finished with engraving between spandrels executed by Tompion's engraver 'G515' (see Dzik, Sunny ENGRAVING ON ENGLISH TABLE CLOCKS, Art on a Canvas of Brass 1660-1800 page 224). The case is beautifully proportioned with sophisticated mouldings and very well chosen tight-grained veneers laid to exhibit their fine figuring to best effect. The extensive use of fine scroll-pierced frets is a Tompion/Graham trait and details such as herringbone bordered crossbanded panels to each side of the plinth demonstrate an attention to detail beyond any other maker of the period.  Amongst George Graham's surviving walnut longcase clocks, number 661 (the preceding serial number to that of the present clock) was offered at Bonham's, London, sale of Fine Clocks 9th December 2008, (lot 141 - with no caddy superstructure present) for £80-120,000; and was more recently sold (with a restored caddy) by Ben Wright, Tetbury for an undisclosed sum. Number 681 is known as 'The Cay Graham' as it still retains its original record of sale to Robert Cay (1649-1754) in 1728...TO READ MORE, PLEASE CLICK HERE 

Ɵ&nbspHOROLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC REFERENCE BOOKS MAINLY RELATING TO CHRISTIAAN HUYGENSSIXTEEN PUBLICATIONS:Bos, H.J.M. CHRISTIAN HUYGENS' The Pendulum Clock or Geometrical Demonstrations Concerning the Motion of Pendula as Applied to Clocks translated with notes by Richard J. Blackwell, The Iowa State University Press, Ames 1986; Bell, A.E. CHRISTIAN HUYGENS and the development of science in the seventeenth century Edward Arnold and Company, London 1947, dj; Baker, B.B. and Copson, E.T. THE MATHEMATICAL THEORY OF HUYGENS' PRINCIPLE The Clarendon Press, Oxford 1939 dj; Bos, H.J.M., Rudwick, M.J.S., Snelders, H.A.M. and Visser, R.P.W. (editors) STUDIES ON CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS, Invited Papers from the Symposium on the Life and Work of Christiaan Huygens, Amsterdam, 22-15 August 1979 Swets and Zeitlinger B.V., Lisse 1980; Huygens, Christiaan Cosmotheoros de Wereldbeschouwer facsimile reprint of the 1754 edition, Epsilon Uitgaven, Utrecht 1989, softbound; Andriesse TITAN KAN NIET SLAPEN, Een biografie van Christiaan Huygens Contact, Amsterdam 1993; Huygens, Christiaan Verhandeling over het licht, vertaling en original van de 'traite del la luminiere' van 1690 facsimile of the 1690 edition with translation and commentary by professor H.J.M. Bos, Epsilom Uitgaven, Utrecht 1990; Ploeg, W. CONSTANTIJN HUYGENS EN DE NATUURWETENSCHAPPEN Nijh and Van Ditmar N.V., Rotterdam 1934, softbound; Blay, Michel La science du movement, De Galilee a Lagrange Editions Belin, Paris 2002, softbound; Biard, Joel and Rommevaux, Sabine (editors) Mathematiques et theorie du movement (XIV'e-XVI'e siecles) Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, Villeneuve d'Ascq 2008, softbound; Brenninkmeyer, H., Damen, W., Deenen, Henk and others CONSTANTIJN HUYGENS, ZIJN PLAATS IN GELEERD EUROPA Hans Bots and University Press, Amsterdam 1973, softbound; Hausdorff, Felix CHRISTIAN HUYGENS' NACHGELASSENE ABHANDLUNGEN: UBER DIE BEWEGUNG DER KORPER DURCH DEN STOSS UBER DIE CENTRIFUGALKRAFT Verlag von Wilheim Engelmann, Leipzig 1903; Dijksterhuis, Dr. E.J. CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS (BIJ DE VOLTOOIING VAN ZIJN EURVES COMPLETES) De Erven F. Bohn N.V., Haarlem 1951, softbound; Icke, Vincent CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS IN DE ONTVOLTOOID VERLEDEN TOEKOMENDE TIJD Historiche Uitgeverij, Leiden 2005; Huygens, Christiaan van Rekeningh in Spelen van Geluk reprint and explanation of the 1660 text by Wim Kleijne, Epsilon Uitgaven, Utrecht 1998, softbound; and a copy of Van Den Ende; Van Kersen-Halbertsma; Taylor, DR. John C. and Taylor, Neil HUYGENS' LEGACY, THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE PENDULUM CLOCK Catalogue for exhibition held at Paleis Het Loo, Apeldoorn, 12th September-28th November 2004, Fromanteel Ltd, Castletown, Isle of Man 2004, (rare hardback issue) dj, (16).

A RARE ENGLISH PAINTED STEEL CONVEX TURRET CLOCK DIAL AND COPPER HANDSUNSIGNED, CIRCA 1800The dial of hand-beaten double-skinned construction later painted with a gilt Roman numeral chapter ring onto a deep blue ground, with stepped raised ogee-moulded edge and spade hands worked from heavy gauge copper formed into slightly curved profile.The dial 76cm (30.25ins) diameter. 

Ɵ&nbspEVANS, JEREMY; CARTER, JONATHAN AND WRIGHT, BENTHOMAS TOMPION, 300 YEARSWater Lane Publishing, very rare limited edition numbered 38 out of 100 copies and signed by all three authors, Stroud 2013, two-tone gilt embossed calf with gilt-edged pages, marbled end papers and blue cloth slipcase. 

Y&nbspA FINE GEORGE IV BRASS 'FIRST PERIOD' SKELETON TIMEPIECE WITH SECONDS-BEATING LEVER ESCAPEMENTJAMES CONDLIFF, LIVERPOOL, CIRCA 1825-30The single chain fusee train set between demi-lune shaped plates pierced with a band of crescents enclosing pendant cruciform motifs over repeating spire designs, united by four knopped pillars, with open-walled spring barrel, Harrison's maintaining power, six-spoke wheel crossings and contrate take-off for the oversized English lever escapement slung beneath the plate onto which the movement rests, regulated by a 2.5 inch faceted three-arm monometallic balance with blued steel timing screws, jewelled pivots and helical spring held in the mouth of gilt serpent applied to the lower case platform, the dial with centre seconds, silvered Roman numeral chapter ring, blued steel moon hands and visible motionwork incorporating five-spoke wheel crossings applied to the movement frontplate behind, the frame with large acorn-turned finial to the apex of the plates and four further conforming finials set on each corner of the plate beneath the movement, raised on four column-turned corner uprights over a rectangular platform centred with the balance wheel lower pivot and the applied with the gilt brass coiled serpent, the front with Classical male mask centred double lyre cast mount flanked by rosettes formed from six interlinked beehives, on ball feet; secured to a red velvet-lined rosewood veneered plinth to take the glass dome cover (damaged), with canted angles and line-strung borders over bun feet.The timepiece 32.5cm (12.75ins) high, 26cm (10.5ins) wide, 11.5cm (4.5ins) deep; including stand and dome 51cm (20ins) high, 35cm (13.75ins) wide, 19cm (7.5ins) deep. Provenance:Long-term single private family ownership since at least 1880. Catalogue Amendment 23/08/23; the underside of the upper frame plate is stamped J. CONDLIFF, LIVERPOOL behind the escapement top pivot.James Condliff set up as a clock and watchmaker at 32 Gerard Street, Liverpool in 1813. He then had premises on Circus Street (1819-22) and Fraser Street (1823-62). In 1827 he was joined in partnership by Joseph Condliff and continued from workshops in Fraser Street as well as from an address in Clare Street. Joseph Condliff subsequently opened a branch under his name alone in Everton and John Condliff took-on premises at Mount Vernon. James Condliff is believed to have retired by 1862 and died in 1884 and was most likely succeeded by Thomas Condliff who is recorded working in Liverpool 1867-1914. Derek Roberts in British Skeleton Clocks (pages 99-113) classifies Condliff's skeleton clocks into three distinct periods/types, with the first dating 1825-50, the second 1850 to circa 1870, and the third 1855-60. The current lot is from the first series which are typified by having arched plates set on a rectangular platform raised on columns. These models also incorporate a sprung balance with the end of the spring held by a serpent applied to the upper surface of a second, lower platform. Examples incorporating a second striking train include the additional feature of having their spring barrels set within the base, and the fusee chains passing up (past the balance) to the trains above. With these the base also serves to conceal the bell/gong and hammer. The present lot, being a timepiece only, benefits from having the barrel set between the plates hence leaving the base platform free to feature the escapement, balance and serpent uncluttered. The present timepiece is a particularly rare example from only a handful of first period skeleton clocks by Condliff. It also benefits from being a previously un-recorded example privately consigned from long-term single-family ownership. Condition Report: Timepiece is generally in fine original clean condition with no visible evidence of alteration or notable replacements. The train is fundamentally in running condition however at some point someone has attempted to wind via the spring barrel arbor causing the fusee chain to become unhitched and whiplash around the left-hand pillar and frame edge resulting in some bruising/marks to both the pillar, the edge of the plate and around a pierced aperture to the centre. The marks to the plate can probably be filed-out leaving little or no trace, and the pillar can possibly be removed without parting the plates (is pinned and screwed rather than riveted to one of the plates) and turned to remove the marks. The worst case scenario is that a replacement pillar may need to be turned from suitable yellow brass. The fusee chain is correctly attached but has not been set-up/tensioned (via the barrel ratchet) - this will be required before it will run under its own power for the entire eight-day duration. The timepiece is running and escapement beats happily when it is wound over about 1/3 way. As with the rest of the timepiece the chapter ring and hands are in fine condition and the serpent together with the front rail mounts retain fine gilt finish. The platform base has a slight casting fault to the rear left hand corner beneath the column base. The rosewood base and dome appear contemporary with the clock but may have been acquired separately (could be French); the glass dome is badly cracked at the rear.Timepiece is complete with a decoratively turned winding key. Condition Report Disclaimer

A RARE FRENCH GILT REPEATING CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH PANELS ATTRIBUTED TO LOUIS BILTON OF DOULTON PROBABLY BY GAY LAMAILLE AND COMPANY, PARIS, CIRCA 1890The eight-day two train gong striking movement with silvered platform lever escapement regulated by sprung split bimetallic balance, the backplate with stamped with oval panel inscribed PATENT SURETY ROLLER to centre over 0 and serial number 449 to lower left-hand corner, the rectangular porcelain dial panel painted in polychrome and gilt with asymmetric dog rose blooms and incorporating a chapter ring with vertically aligned Arabic hour numerals and with blued steel spade hands, the case with reeded baton to the geometric outline hinged carrying handle over bevelled top glass and cavetto cornice lined with part bead-cast borders and conforming square section uprights, the sides inset with porcelain panels further painted with dog rose blooms onto a gilt blush ground, the rear with bevel-glazed door, on part bead-bordered cavetto moulded skirt base.16cm (6.25ins) high with handle down, 10cm (4ins) wide, 9cm (3.5ins) deep. Provenance:Previously sold at Bonhams, Knightsbridge DECORATIVE ARTS FROM 1860 INCLUDING THE HOLLYWOOD INTERIOR 1st April 2015 (lot 38) for £1,375. The firm of Gay, Lamaille and Company and their patent for the 'surety roller' is discussed by Thomas R. Wotruba in his article The story behind 'PATENT SURETY ROLLER' stamped on carriage clocks published in ANTIQUARIAN HOROLOGY June 2019 (pages 239-47). Wotruba describes how the Patent Surety Roller (a mechanism which prevents the strike star wheel from accidentally jumping out-of-sync whilst the clock is being transported) was invented by Moritz Immisch for which he received a brevet in 1879. The patent was subsequently secured by Messrs Gay, Lamaille and Company of Paris and London. One of the firm's founders, Emile Gay(e), is recorded as working at 20 Red Lion Square, London in 1861 before going into partnership with a clockmaker named Vicarino and setting up operations at 5 rue Beranger, Paris. In around 1877-78 George Lamaille replaced Vicarino forming Gay, Lamaille and Company who through their strong connections with London supplied many of the leading English retailers such as Dent, Frodsham and Lund & Blockley during the latter years of the 19th century. Louis Bilton (c1860-1910) is noted by the Museum of Applied Arts and Science, New South Wales, Australia, as taking up employment as painter with Doulton & Co in Burslem (Staffordshire, England) in 1892. prior to this he travelled to Sydney in 1885-7 to make drawings of the native flora to illustrate 'The picturesque atlas of Australasia', a monumental three volume set published between 1886 and 1888 by John Sands.   Condition Report: Movement is in relatively clean fully working condition with no visible evidence of alteration or noticeable replacements. The dial is free from any visible defects. The case is in very good condition albeit with very slight edge wear and some slight scratching to the rear skirt. There are no visible chips to the glasses. The left-hand side panel has a small section loose towards the left-hand corner and a hairline crack across the panel through the upper two leaves of the decoration; the right hand panel is free from visible defects.Clock does not have a winding key.Condition Report Disclaimer

A WILLIAM III EBONISED THIRTY-HOUR LONGCASE CLOCK WITH VERGE ESCAPEMENT AND TEN-INCH DIALJOHN CLARKE, LONDON, CIRCA 1695The single-handed posted countwheel bell striking movement with verge escapement regulated by short bob pendulum swinging to the rear of the frame and square section corner posts riveted to the bottom plate and screwed to the top plate, the 10 inch square brass dial with matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised sword hilt half hour markers and signed Jn'o Clarke, London to lower edge, the ebonised case with giltwood ball finials to the raised ogee-shaped caddy superstructure over architectural ogee cornice, foliate scroll pierced sound fret and hinged front with glazed dial aperture flanked by three-quarter Solomonic twist columns to angles, the sides with rectangular windows and conforming quarter-columns set against bargeboards to the rear, the trunk with convex throat moulding over 42 inch rectangular door with half-round edge mouldings, on plinth base with stepped ogee top mouldings and moulded skirt.216cm (85ins) high including finials, 43cm (17ins) wide, 26cm (10.25ins) deep. Three clockmakers with the name John Clarke are recorded in Loomes, Brian Clockmakers of Britian 1286-1700 as working in London at the end of the 17th century. The first was apprenticed to Peter Southworth from 1675-83; the second to Humphrey Clarke 1681-89 (but not freed), and the third to James Graves 1682-90. The latter took an apprentice, John Hawksbee, in 1695 and paid quarterage until 1696; Loomes further notes that he may well have been an engraver. Condition Report: Movement is in fine original working condition with the only noticeable repair being to the lower pivot of the escape wheel involving as small brass slip being soldered to the bottom potance. The pallet arbor appears to be a service replacement, and the backcock is also made from two parts (rather than a single casting) hence may also be a replacement. The movement is in working condition. The dial is in fine clean condition with only minor discolouration and a few slight surface bruises; the matting is finely executed. The movement and dial rests on the original oak seatboard which is directly attached to undisturbed cheek uprights of the case with clout nails. This indicates that the movement and dial are most likely original to the case.The case generally appears to be a fine rare survivor which has received some mostly cosmetic restoration. The caddy superstructure to the hood is a fairly recent addition but is not attached to the case so can simply be lifted off. The top board of the hood has been replaced and the frieze frets appear fairly recent, otherwise the hood appears to be in very good original condition with the only notable fault being a crack across the left-hand side glass. The trunk is in fine condition with backboard continuing down to the lower edge of the box of the plinth base. The trunk door has some thinning/cutting back to the interior towards the bottom edge (to allow the weight to pass freely close to door). The structure of the base appears all-original, hence is a very rare survivor. The moulded skirt is a relatively recent addition. The ebonised finish has been renewed at some point in the relatively recent past, it is very well executed and is now starting to fade a little and take-on patination.Clock has pendulum and weight but no case key (does not require a winding key).  Condition Report Disclaimer

A RARE EMPIRE PERIOD PATINATED BRONZE, ORMOLU AND LAPIS LAZULI FIGURAL MANTEL CLOCKUNSIGNED, POSSIBLY RUSSIAN, SECOND QUARTER OF THE 19th CENTURYThe circular eight-day countwheel bell striking movement with anchor escapement regulated by disc bob pendulum with silk suspension, the 4.5 inch circular convex white enamel Roman numeral dial with Arabic quarters and unusual cruciform-dot five-minute markers to outer track, with blued steel moon hands set within a repeating anthemion motif engine-milled surround behind hinged convex glazed bezel, the case surmounted with a standing patinated bronze figure of a man in Classical senatorial robes conversing with a youth, set on a plinth with gilt platform and complex cornice mouldings over lapis lazuli front containing the dial, back with movement access panel, and sides, on repeating acanthus cast ogee moulded skirt base with leafy bun feet.70.5cm (27.5ins) high, 27.5cm (10.75ins) wide, 18cm (7ins) deep. 

A FINE AND RARE PAIR-CASED VERGE FUSEE STRIKING CLOCK-WATCHTHOMAS TOMPION, LONDON, CIRCA 1697, THE DIAL AND CASES LATERThe gilt full plate movement with three tulip and two narrow vase pillars pinned through the backplate, the fusee going train with scroll-pierced stop-iron block and verge escapement regulated by sprung three-arm balance with Tompion type regulation, the locking plate controlled strike train with fine scroll pierced and engraved standing barrel, foliate sculpted steel detent gates and sounding via a hammer positioned beneath the spring barrel on a bell fitted to the interior of the case, the backplate with symmetrical foliate scroll pierced and chased cock decorated with a female mask at the junction with the conforming pierced foot, flanked by silvered regulation disk set within further applied engraved fretwork opposing silvered countwheel with concentric leaf engraved centred and numbered divisions, next to signature Tho: Tompion, London with number 83 engraved just above the concentric ring-turned blued steel strike stop-work wheel partly concealed by the balance cock, now with slightly convex white enamel Roman numeral dial incorporating twin gold collected winding holes to centre and arcaded minute ring with Arabic five minutes above the hour numerals, with fine sculpted gold beetle and poker hands, now in silver-gilt inner case with pierced and engraved scrolling foliate decoration to rear, suspension post and ring at twelve o'clock and fitted with convex glass to bezel, with a leather covered gilt brass outer case with crisp mouldings to bezel surround and waist.The pillar plate 35mm (1.375ins) diameter; the outer case 5.5cm (2.125ins approx.) diameter. Provenance: The property of a private collector, purchased Sotheby's New York sale of The Thielmann Collection of Watches, Clocks and Scientific Instruments 26th June 1989 (lot) 301 for $2,750 USD. Previously in the Wertheimer Collection. Thomas Tompion has often been referred to as the 'father of English clock and watchmaking'. When considering the legacy of his work and influence on subsequent generations, such a compliment is justly deserved. Born in Ickwell, Suffolk in 1639 Thomas Tompion appears to have developed an affinity for metalworking from his father, also named Thomas, who worked as a blacksmith. By 1670 Tompion had moved to London and was working in the clock and watchmaking trade. Although there is no record of his apprenticeship or whether he received any formal training prior to moving to London, he quickly became established and obtained his freedom of the Clockmaker's Company in late 1671. His early clocks demonstrate a close working relationship with the Fromanteel, East and Knibb workshops. Around this time Tompion became friendly with eminent mathematicians and scientists such as Robert Hooke and Jonas Moore - perhaps the most progressive and inventive minds of the day. Such associations lead to Royal commissions, firstly from Charles II for whom Tompion is known to have made one of the earliest balance-spring watches in 1676 and later William III who ordered numerous clocks to furnish his various palaces throughout his reign. As well as being an extremely talented artisan Tompion was also commercially minded, cleverly introducing serial numbering for his watches and clocks from around 1681/2. This, as well as maintaining a high degree of refinement in both the design and construction of his clocks and watches, ensured the highest level of exclusivity for clients purchasing from him. In around 1701 Thomas Tompion took a former apprentice, Edward Banger, into partnership. Banger was originally apprenticed to Thomas Ashby in 1687 but was transferred over to Tompion and gained his freedom of the Clockmaker's Company in 1695. He was clearly a talented maker (when considering the few examples signed by Banger alone) however a serious problem between him and his former master caused the partnership to come to an abrupt end in 1707-8 for reasons unknown. On Banger's departure Tompion reverted to working alone until he found confidence in George Graham who had been engaged as a journeyman for Tompion since 1696. Graham's character had already been given the seal of approval by Tompion who allowed him to marry his niece, Elizabeth, in 1704; however it still would be a few years before Tompion would take Graham into partnership which he eventually did in 1711. Thomas Tompion died in November 1713 leaving the business to George Graham who maintained the same exacting standards and became famous in his own right with notable achievements including the development of the deadbeat escapement for pendulum clocks and the cylinder escapement for watches. Of Tompion's known surviving work as recorded by Jeremy Evans in Evans, Jeremy, Carter, Jonathan and Wright, Ben THOMAS TOMPION, 300 YEARS only twenty-one clock-watches are noted. Three of these are signed by Tompion in partnership with Edward Banger and of the remaining eighteen only around four retain their original dials and cases. An almost identical movement, The Bridgeman Tompion Clock-watch (numbered 73 and dating to 1696), is illustrated by Evans, Carter and Wright on page 58. Condition Report: Movement is in fine clean fully working condition having being recently conserved with following work done (as per the watchmaker's worksheet):Movement overhauled, cleaned, lubricated; case and dial cleaned.Replacement locking lever spring and screw made and fitted using existing crew and steady pin holes.New mainspring fitted.New strike spring fitted.Various screws renewed with hand-made replacements.Fusee pivot upper bushing re-bushed, wear in strike train addressed.Central bell-mounting boss repaired and fitted with new securing screw.Cracked blade to the locking gate renewed with a hand-made replacement.All the above work has been executed to the highest standard hence with any replaced screws matching the originals in shape and quality and repairs very sensitively executed. The dial enamel has a slight crescent-shaped crack to the edge above the X numeral otherwise is free from visible faults. The inner case is in fine original condition but with overall noticeable thinning to the gilding. The outer case is in good original condition with only minor scuffs to the leather covering and some rubbing to the gilding.Watch has a winding key included. Condition Report Disclaimer

Ɵ&nbspVAN DEN ENDE; VAN KERSEN-HALBERTSMA; TAYLOR, DR. JOHN C. AND TAYLOR, NEILHUYGENS' LEGACY, THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE PENDULUM CLOCKCatalogue for exhibition held at Paleis Het Loo, Apeldoorn, 12th September-28th November 2004, Fromanteel Ltd, Castletown, Isle of Man 2004, (rare hardback issue) dj.  

A FINE GEORGE III GOLD PAIR-CASED POCKET WATCH WITH CYLINDER ESCAPEMENT AND CALENDARTHOMAS MUDGE, LONDON, 1763The gilt full plate single fusee movement with four square section baluster pillars pinned through the backplate, scroll-pierced stop-iron block and cylinder escapement regulated by sprung three-arm steel balance with Tompion type regulation, the backplate with fine asymmetric foliate scroll pierced and engraved balance cock with faceted diamond endstone, canted leaf-bordered rim and grotesque mask at the junction with wedge-shaped relief engraved foot, flanked by silvered regulation disc set within adjacent applied scroll engraved panel infill opposing signature Tho's Mudge, London and numbered 182, with gilt brass dust cover similarly signed Tho's Mudge, London and slightly convex white enamel Roman numeral dial incorporating rare date-of-the-month aperture to centre, Arabic five minutes to outer track and with sculpted steel beetle and poker hands, the gold inner case applied with suspension post and ring at twelve o'clock, fitted with convex glass to bezel and marked for London 1763 maker P.M, the associated outer case marked for London 1752 maker Mb. The pillar plate 3.5cm (1.375ins approx.) diameter; the outer case 5cm (2ins) diameter.  Thomas Mudge was born in Exeter, Devon in 1717 and was apprenticed to George Graham before setting himself up in business at 151 Fleet Street, London in 1748. At around the time of the death of his former Master in 1751, Mudge was joined in partnership by a fellow former apprentice of Graham, William Dutton, who is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as apprenticed in 1738 and gaining his freedom of the Clockmakers' Company in 1746. The business subsequently traded from 148 Fleet Street and Mudge, whilst in partnership with Dutton, rapidly acquired a reputation as one of England's outstanding watchmakers. In around 1755, if not earlier, Mudge invented the detached lever escapement, which he first applied to a clock, but when incorporated into a watch became the greatest single improvement ever applied to them. In 1765 Mudge published the book Thoughts on the Means of Improving Watches, Particularly those for Use at Sea, and the following year, alongside Dutton, was elevated to Liveryman. In around 1771 Thomas Mudge retired to Plymouth in order to spend more time to pursue his development of a marine timekeeper. The first of these went on trial in 1774 where it performed superbly leading to an award of 500 guineas. Mudge went on to complete two others in 1779 in the continuing attempt to satisfy the increasingly difficult requirements set by the Board of Longitude. They were tested by the Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyne, and declared as being unsatisfactory. There followed a controversy in which it was claimed that Maskelyne had not given them a fair trial. A similar controversy had arisen when John Harrison had been denied the full amount of the 1714 prize by the Board of Longitude. Eventually, in 1792, two years before his death, Mudge was awarded £2,500 by a Committee of the House of Commons who decided for Mudge and against the Board of Longitude, then headed by Sir Joseph Banks.The cylinder escapement was developed in around 1695 by Thomas Tompion and further refined by George Graham in 1726. This new escapement was perhaps the first developed exclusively for watch work and, as well as being a better rate keeper, the cylinder escapement also allowed movements to be made more compact (due to the escapement operating in one plane only). However, being a form of frictional rest escapement, the cylinder escapement was prone to relatively heavy rates of wear hence was less reliable than the verge (until hardened steel escape wheels and ruby cylinders were developed later in the 18th century). Condition Report: Movement is in clean working condition with strong gilding and minimal marks to the backplate. The escape wheel appears to be a service replacement otherwise all appears original and the calendar is operational. The dust cover is original and in good condition with only very slight oxidation to blued steel slide. The dial has some slight chipping around the thumb lever to the lower edge; the hands are original and very nicely finished. The inner case is in good condition with relatively light age-related wear however the bezel appears to be very slightly different in colour so may well be a very well-made replacement and the glass appears relatively recently fitted. As catalogued the outer case is associated but is a very good fit.There is no winding key present. Condition Report Disclaimer

A FINE RARE GEORGE III TWELVE-TUNE MUSICAL BRASS MOUNTED MAHOGANY TABLE CLOCK WITH DOUBLE AUTOMATON THOMAS MONKHOUSE, LONDON, CIRCA 1775The substantial eight pillar triple fusee movement sounding the hours on a bell positioned behind the automaton above the T-shaped plates each measuring 8.25 inches high by 12 inches wide at the top before playing a choice of twelve tunes via an 11 inch pinned cylinder on thirteen bells with twenty-four hammers transversely mounted across the top of the mechanism, the going train with verge escapement regulated by short bob pendulum with holdfast hook to the symmetrical foliate scroll engraved backplate signed Tho:'s Monkhouse, London to centre, the 9 inch arched brass dial painted with an English arcadian landscape with figure tending sheep before a lake and castle and with recessed shaped signature plate engraved Tho's Monkhouse, LONDON to upper margin to centre, within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with Arabic five minutes beyond the minute track, with pierced blued steel hands and rococo scroll cast spandrels to angles with the upper two interrupted by polychrome floral painted subsidiary Strike/Silent and Chime/Silent selection dials, the arch with fine painted scene of a quintet incorporating triple-action automaton features to simulate playing of string instruments, set on a gallery over recess painted with backdrop of a crowd with two companion male a female automata figures with articulated waists appearing from each side and moving to simulate dancing whilst the music is in play, flanked by curtain-draped columns within arch applied with curved silvered plate engraved with tune selections Cassino, Minuet, Cicely Badger, Sukey bids Me, Minuet, Scots Bonnet, March, Berks of Abergeld, The Waterman, Langolee, Air de Jolie and The Egg Hornpipe with scroll-pierced steel selection pointer pivoted from the centre of the lower edge, the figured mahogany veneered inverted bell-top case with brass flambeau urn finials over double cavetto top mouldings and rectangular front door with brass fillet bordered glazed dial aperture and scroll-cast brass upper quadrant frets, flanked by canted angles applied with generous cast brass female terms, the sides with substantial hinged brass carrying handles over concave-topped rectangular brass fish scale sound frets within fillet surrounds, the rear with break-arch glazed door incorporating scroll-pierced upper quadrant frets flanked by canted angles applied with conforming female terms, on generous cavetto moulded skirt base with moulded brass squab feet.71cm (21ins) high, 43cm (17ins) wide, 27.5cm (10.75ins) deep. Provenance:Purchased at Bonhams, London sale of FINE CLOCKS 19th June 2019 (lot 41) for £17,562.50. Thomas Monkhouse is recorded in Loomes, Brian Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, Complete 21st Century Edition as working in London circa 1760. Although very little is known about him Thomas Monkhouse was clearly a very skilled maker who appeared to specialise in the production of musical and chiming clocks. The tunes played by the current clock aid to dating with the most relevant being 'The Waterman', which is from a comic opera of 1774 by Charles Dibdin. Amongst the other melodies 'Scots Bonnet' also known as 'Blue Bonnets Over the Border' was first registered in 1857; 'Cicely Badger' relates to a character in Samuel Richardson's 1753 Novel 'The History of Sir Charles Grandison'; 'Cassino', registered in 1770, was a country dance tune popular in both England and America; and 'Sukey Bids Me' was a country dance printed in 'The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure in 1749. Condition Report: Movement is in fine clean fully working condition with no visible evidence of alteration or noticeable replacements. The dial is also in fine condition with minimal rubbing/wear around the winding holes; the painted finish appears original with some slight touching-in in places. The tune selection pointer appears to be a well-made replacement, the other hands are original and in good condition. Both automata are operational - the upper with the band playing is connected to the escapement hence operates whilst the clock is running; the lower dancing figures whilst the music is playing.The case is in fine condition with only minor repairs/restoration evident. The mask around the dial has been 'strengthened' by adding thin timber plates/packing to the inside around the arch and to the lower corners. The rear door hinges where attached to the carcass of the case have been strengthened by applying filler paste to consolidate the timber at that point. The front door has a veneer patch repair to the lower right-hand corner, otherwise faults to the case are very much limited to minor bumps, scuffs, shrinkage and wear commensurate with age and use.Clock is complete with case key and a winder. Condition Report Disclaimer

A FINE FRENCH GILT REPEATING CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH MULTI-COLOURED PATINATED RELIEF CHINOISERIE PANELSACHILLE BROCOT, PARIS, CIRCA 1880The eight-day two train gong striking movement with silvered platform lever escapement regulated by sprung split bimetallic balance and stamped with central AB within a star trademark over serial number 904 to lower left-hand corner of the backplate, the rectangular dial with stylised rosette decorated in gilt, copper and silver onto a pewter-grey background to centre within a recessed silvered Roman numeral chapter ring, with steel spade hands within conforming multi-coloured panel infill to upper and lower margins decorated with game birds and flowering foliage, the gilt case with part-silvered hinged reeded baton carrying handle and thick bevelled top glass to the canted-edge projecting top, over caddy moulded cornice and rectangular section uprights to angles, the sides inset with panels decorated in silver and gilt with figures in oriental dress seated within trellis garden landscapes incorporating pseudo Chinese text, with pewter-grey background for the sky and copper-coloured borders, the rear with bevel-glazed door, on generous cavetto moulded skirt base.176m (6.25ins) high with handle down, 11.5cm (4.5ins) wide, 9cm (3.5ins) deep.  Achille Brocot is recorded in Allix, Charles and Bonnert, Peter CARRIAGE CLOCKS, Their history and development as born in 1817 and died in 1878. The Museums Victoria (Australia) website notes that Achille patented several improvements in clock mechanism escapements, and invented the 'Brocot Suspension', an adjustable pendulum spring which enabled time keeping to be regulated by altering the length of the pendulum suspension spring by a key turned in the dial. He also introduced a jewelled deadbeat escapement, sometimes called a visible escapement as it was often mounted in the middle of the dial. Achille was awarded a first class medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1855, and in 1856 was appointed Treasurer to La Société des Horlogers in Paris. He published a 'Calculation of the Wheels by Approximation' in 1862. His sons Achille and Paul continued the business following Achille senior's death 1878. The firm was taken over by rival clock maker Gustave Gibaudet in 1889.  The highly decorative panels of the current lot employs a series of differing techniques to gild, silver, copper and chemically patinate the finely finished relief cast and engraved scenes to provide depth and contrast. This rare form of decoration is normally only seen on a select few high-end carriage clock cases with an example illustrated in Roberts, Derek CARRIAGE and other Travelling CLOCKS on page 160 (Fig. 9.38) where the decoration is described as 'quite outstanding' and 'must have been one of the most time-consuming methods of decorating a carriage clock'. Condition Report: Movement is complete and appears all original with no visible evidence of alteration or noticeable replacements. The movement is essentially in full working order however is generally somewhat dirty/neglected hence a gentle clean/service is required. The dial is in fine condition with only a couple of spots of slight discolouration to the finishes. The case is in fine condition with blemishes limited to a small corner chip to the top glass (only visible on close examination) some patchy tarnishing to the silver highlights of the handle, and some slight wear/rubbing to the lacquer coat protecting the gilt finish (gilding itself is essentially unworn). The side panels are in fine condition with no discernible wear or discolouration and the front and rear door glasses are free from visible damage.Clock has a winding key.Condition Report Disclaimer

A FINE AND RARE PAIR OF GEORGE III MINIATURE THREE-INCH TABLE GLOBESJ. AND W. CARY, LONDON, THE TERRESTRIAL PUBLISHED 1791Each comprising twelve hand coloured gores, the terrestrial annotated with equinoctial graduated in degrees and hours and ecliptic graduated in days, prime meridian labelled Meridian of Greenwich and the principal land masses outlined in colour and annotated with major rivers and mountain ranges, the oceans with islands labelled and printed with dotted lines for Captain Cook 1773 and other circumnavigations complete with dates a vessels named, the South Pacific region incorporating circular printed title cartouche CARY'S, Pocket, GLOBE, agreeable, to the latest, DISCOVERIES, LONDON, Pub'd by J. & W. Cary. Strand. Apr. 1. 1791; the celestial with constellations labelled and edged in blue/green over dotted lines, the equinoctial and ecliptic graduated in degrees and the stars and nebulae indicated in varying degrees of magnitude, with a printed oblong label NEW, CELESTIAL GLOBE, Pub'd by J. & W. Cary. Strand. just above VIRGO; each pivoted via the poles within a brass meridian ring divided for degrees, and set within engraved paper horizon ring with compass points and degrees in both directions, Zodiac and calendar scales, the stands comprising four delicate ebonised baluster turned supports united by conforming cross-stretchers over bell-shaped feet.Each 13.3cm (5.25ins) high, 10.8cm (4.25ins) diameter overall. Provenance: Consigned as part of a group of items mostly originally the property of Harry Taft Hayward (1868 - 1930) and Edith Wires (1872 - 1962). Members of the Boston elite, they had two daughters, Mary Elizabeth Hayward (1906-1976) and Harriet Taft Hayward (1907-1968), both painted by the artist John Lavery. They latterly lived at Oakwald, Franklin, Massachusetts; Harry Taft Hayward was cousin of William Howard Taft, 27th president of the US from 1909-1913. Mary Elizabeth married the Chilean born Henry Bernard Arthur de Bruyne and eventually came to live in England at Skyring House, Worthing from circa 1929 until 1939 when the house was commandeered by the British Army. After World War II they moved, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex. Thence by descent. The celebrated Cary family business of scientific instrument and globe makers was established by John Cary at Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, London in 1782 moving to a new address at 'Corner of Arundel Square', Strand the following year. He was primarily an engraver of maps, charts and globes who moved again in 1783 to 188 Strand. By 1791 he had entered into what appeared to be a relatively casual partnership with his brother, William; this partnership lasted until circa 1816 by which time William and John Cary had moved again to 181 Strand before finally settling in 86 St. James in 1820. The following year he was succeeded by his sons, John (II) and George Cary, who continued from the firm's 181 Strand address until 1851/2 when the business was acquired by Henry Gould. The terrestrial globe in the present lot is most often seen presented as a pocket globe within a ray-skin covered folding two-part case with celestial representations pasted to the inside surfaces. The celestial globe is much rarer as was generally only supplied as either part of a more extensive 'set' (with both globes in shagreen cases) or presented as a pair of miniature table globes as is the case with the current lot. An essentially identical terrestrial globe on stand was sold in these rooms 15th March 2006 (lot 1) for £3,800 hammer. Condition Report: Terrestrial- old unrestored surface with overall moderate browning to varnish, no visible cracks or bruising. Faults limited to a few light surface scuffs most noticeably to the Gulf of Mexico and to the South Pacific and overall age-related minor wear. The meridian ring is in fine original condition with mellow patination. Stand has overall slight to moderate varnish rubbing a wear to the horizon papers but with no losses. The ebonised frame is in fine original condition with some age-related wear to the finish. Celestial- old unrestored surface with moderate browning noticeable to upper hemisphere, no visible cracks or bruising. Faults limited to some darkening to the gore joints and light bubbling near 'Indus' and overall very slight age related wear. The meridian ring is in fine original condition with mellow patination. Stand has overall very slight to moderate varnish wear to the horizon papers but with no losses. The horizon ring has at one time split apart at the cut-outs for the meridian ring and been re-glued. The ebonised frame is in fine original condition with some age-related wear to the finish. Please see/request images as these form an integral part of the condition report. Condition Report Disclaimer

A RARE FRENCH SEVRES STYLE PORCELAIN INSET ORMOLU MANTEL TIMEPIECE OF ONE-YEAR DURATIONACHILLE BROCOT, PARIS, CIRCA 1875The circular four pillar movement incorporating a system of three internal and two external inter-geared going barrels to drive a six-wheel train with Brocot deadbeat escapement regulated by heavy disc bob pendulum incorporating Brocot-type regulation to suspension, the backplate stamped with serial number 4047 to upper left over AB star trademark to centre, the 5 inch circular gilt brass dial with fine foliate scroll engraved centre signed ACHILLE BROCOT within Roman numeral chapter ring, with blued steel moon hands within generous moulded surround, the case with fluted drum housing the movement over out swept scroll profile cradle support fronted with a central lion's mask issuing husk swigs flanked by porcelain panels each polychrome painted with a cherub within gilt highlighted blue borders, the sides with concave foliate cast panel over gadroon outer moulding, on inverted breakfront cavetto moulded skirt base further decorated with panels of foliate scrolls to front and sides over lobed disc feet.27.5cm (11.75ins) high, 31cm (12.25ins) wide, 13.5cm (5.25ins) deep. Achille Brocot is recorded in Allix, Charles and Bonnert, Peter CARRIAGE CLOCKS, Their history and development as born in 1817 and died in 1878. The Museums Victoria (Australia) website notes that Achille patented several improvements in clock mechanism escapements, and invented the 'Brocot Suspension', an adjustable pendulum spring which enabled time keeping to be regulated by altering the length of the pendulum suspension spring by a key turned in the dial. He also introduced a jewelled deadbeat escapement, sometimes called a visible escapement as it was often mounted in the middle of the dial. Achille was awarded a first class medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1855, and in 1856 was appointed Treasurer to La Société des Horlogers in Paris. He published a 'Calculation of the Wheels by Approximation' in 1862. His sons Achille and Paul continued the business following Achille senior's death 1878. The firm was taken over by rival clock maker Gustave Gibaudet in 1889.  

†&nbspAN IMPRESSIVE RARE SET OF OERTLING-TYPE BANKER'S OR ASSAY OFFICE PRECISION BULLION BALANCE SCALESDE GRAVE, SHORT AND COMPANY, LONDON, LATE 19th/EARLY 20th CENTURYThe black japanned cast iron upright of tapered pierced pylon form united by a transverse arched lacquered brass bridge at the top set with a steel bed for the knife-edge pivot and inscribed TO WEIGH 1000 OZ TR to front edge, between the uprights to the centre is a cast V-shaped frame supported between channelled pulley-guides and resting on a roller and cam assembly in the base to allow rise/fall locking/releasing of the balance crossmember by taking the load from each end via substantial brass brackets, the balance arm of pierced elongated triangular form with knife-edge at the centre and for each of the opposing suspension pivot points with the right-hand forming a copper pan suspended from chains and the left with copper platform applied to a stiff chrome-plated cradle, the front of the beam engraved DE GRAVE & SHORT & Co. LTD, MAKERS, LONDON and the centre with long open-framed inverted triangular pointer reading against a cream ivorine scale divided into tenths in each direction opposing a ball-shaped counterweight, now mounted on a square mahogany plinth.118cm (46.5ins) high, 87.5cm (34.5ins) wide excluding pans 32.5cm (12.75ins) deep. Provenance:The property of a central London financial institution forming part of a collection housed in a purpose-built prestigious Georgian style office building furnished prior to 1925. The De Grave family were well known as scientific instrument makers specialising in weights and measures throughout the 19th century. The first member to set up business was Charles de Grave who is recorded in Clifton, Gloria Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 as working in St. Martin's le Grand from 1780. Clifton notes several subsequent partnerships between various members of the DeGrave family including DeGrave, Short and Fanner who are noted as specialist balance and weight makers working from 59 St. Martin's Le Grand, London 1845-71. The DeGrave business was eventually taken over by W. and T. Avery and Company Limited in the early 20th century. This type of balance was developed by Ludwig Oertling who is recorded by Clifton as working from several addresses in London 1846-1925. He was appointed by the Bank of England and Board of Trade and was succeeded by his son, Henry, after his death in 1893. The business was also taken over by W. and T. Avery and Company Limited in around 1925. 

A RARE COMMONWEALTH PERIOD BRASS LANTERN CLOCK RICHARD BECK, LONDON, CIRCA 1655The posted countwheel bell-striking movement now with anchor escapement for regulation by seconds pendulum, the dial with central rose decorated Arabic numeral alarm disc enveloped by stylised leafy tulip sprays issuing from a three-petal flowerhead positioned just above six o'clock and with signature Richard Beck Neere the French, Church Londini Fecit to upper margin, with iron hand within a replaced applied narrow 6 inch Roman numeral chapter ring with floating asterisk half hour markers and engraved leafy infill to angles, the standard London third period frame with column turned corner posts beneath armorial foliate pierced frets, vase turned finials and domed bell bearer, the sides with hinged brass doors and the rear with hanging hoop and spurs (originally with balance wheel regulation, no pendulum or weight present).40cm (15.75ins) high, 15cm (6ins) wide, 19.5cm (7.75ins) deep including spurs. Richard Beck is recorded in Loomes, Brian Clockmakers of Britain 1286-1700 as born circa 1632 and apprenticed to John Selwood in 1646. On Selwood's death in 1651 Beck continued his apprenticeship under Thomas Loomes gaining his freedom of the Clockmakers' Company in 1653. In 1855 he married Elizabeth Gilbert at St. Benet Fink with whom he had three children. Richard Beck was a Parliamentarian who supported Fromanteel and Loomes rebelling against the Clockmaker's Company in 1656. Sadly illness brought Beck's life to an end at a premature age; he died in May 1659 leaving his wife and three young children.  Richard Beck's working life only lasted six years and coincided with the short-lived English Commonwealth period (1649-1660). Despite his short-lived time at the bench Loomes notes that at least five lantern clocks by him are known; his work therefore provides us with a concise 'snapshot' of lantern clock production during this short period of time. The present clock is perhaps of notable interest in that it utilises classic 'third period' Lothbury frame castings hence is probably one of the earliest clocks to do so, whilst the dial engraving follows 'second period' style with stiffer/stronger hatching to the elements. Indeed the dial engraving can be compared to that on a 'second period' clock by Henry Ireland illustrated in White, George English Lantern Clocks on page 158 (Figure III/69), and the frame conforms to castings featured on page 180 (Figures IV/37 and 38). 

A RARE ITALIAN WALNUT TABLE CLOCK WITH PULL QUARTER-REPEAT ON TWO BELLSUNSIGNED, PROBABLY NORTH ITALY, CIRCA 1700The five knopped pillar twin chain fusee countwheel bell striking movement with verge escapement for regulation by short bob pendulum, the strike train with decorative concentric ring-turned countwheel positioned to the upper right of the backplate and sounding on the larger of the two vertical bells set above the movement, the 7.75 inch square fire-gilt copper dial with ringed winding holes and shaped false bob aperture to the matted centre within applied pewter Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised foliate half hour markers and Arabic five minutes beyond the minute track, with scroll pierced steel hands and applied cast and chased winged cherub head spandrels to angles, in a case with domed caddy surmount and baluster gallery incorporating canted projecting plinths at the angles to superstructure, over architectural entablature and hinged glazed door flanked by free-standing Solomonic twist columns, the sides with rectangular windows and the flush rear with rectangular panel door, the base with apron drawer later veneered with a conch shell flanked by conforming projecting angles over ogee moulded skirt and brass ball feet.57.5cm (22.75ins) high, 41.5cm (16.25ins) wide, 21.5cm (8.5ins) deep.  Although unsigned details within the movement of the present clock, such as relatively straight tapered (very shallow concave) fusees cut for thick chains, finely executed turning to some of the arbors, thick concentric turned countwheel, and decorative scroll feet to the thickly cast backcock, are all indicative of Italian work. Furthermore, as often is the case with Italian clocks, the movement has survived in fine original condition with minimal wear. The design of the repeat work employed is relatively simple and well thought-out using a rack to govern the quarters and a stepped cam pulley-stop for the quarters. Similar systems are discussed and illustrated in section 2 of Dzik, Sunny and Still, Roger BENEATH THE DIAL, English Clock Pull Repeat Striking 1675-25 pages 154-59. 

Y&nbspA FINE AND RARE FRENCH LOUIS XIV BOULLE 'RELIGIEUSE' TABLE CLOCKCOUPE 'ANGLOIS HORLOGEUR DU ROY', PARIS, CIRCA 1675-80The two-train going barrel movement with plates measuring 5 by 5.75 inches united by five shouldered baluster pillars pinned at the rear and enclosing five-wheel trains and twin large diameter going barrels, the going train with verge escapement regulated by disc bob pendulum incorporating silk suspension, and the strike train with decorative scroll-pierced sculpted steel detent gates and high-position numbered countwheel for sounding the hours via a vertically pivoted hammer on a bell mounted behind the pediment of the case, the 10.25 by 8 inch engraved gilt brass dial with calendar aperture to the finely matted centre within silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised leafy half hour markers and every minute numbered to the outer track, with scroll pierced sculpted steel hands and fine leafy flowering scroll engraved infill to the upper spandrel areas and lower margin flanking a boldly executed lambrequin panel signed Coupe Anglois Horlogeur, du Roy, Paris, in a case with three gilt brass flambeau finials and arched pediment incorporating complex mouldings bordering the tympanum faced in contra-parti marquetry with female mask flanked by Berianesque acanthus scrollwork executed in red shell and pewter into a brass ground, above conforming ebonised cornice and rectangular glazed front door applied with bead cast gilt brass surround within marquetry leafy scroll border, flanked by canted angles applied with full-height Corinthian pilasters further decorated with interlaced strapwork panels and leafy pendants to shafts and with cast multi-piece acanthus capitals, the sides with slender break-arch windows within pewter outlined panel decorated infill, the rear flush with rectangular panelled door, on complex ogee moulded shallow skirt base with brass bun feet.50cm (19.75ins) high including finials, 35cm (13ins) wide, 14.5cm (5.75ins) deep. James Cowpe is recorded in Loomes, Brian Clockmakers of Britain 1286-1700 as becoming a Free Brother of the Clockmakers' Company in September 1654; he worked in the Vauxhall area of London and took an apprentice, Edward Worthington, in 1655. James Cowpe is noted as 'gone away' by 1662 and did not sign the oath of allegiance in 1697; although he appeared in the Company quarterage list in 1698 he was recorded as not paying quarterage for 39 years. An Edward Cowpe, (most likely James's son) is recorded as becoming a Free Brother in January 1688 but is believed to have left soon after. James or Jacques Coupe is recorded as being clockmaker to the King in Paris in 1680 and Edward Coupe similarly in 1683. From this it would appear that during the 1660's James moved to Paris and possibly sent his son, Edward, to London to become a Free Brother of the Clockmakers' Company in 1688 before returning to Paris to probably continue working in his father's footsteps. James also has a daughter, Elizabeth, who also became a clockmaker with Loomes noting that she signed her clocks 'Coupe Horlogeuse a Roi A Paris'.  Loomes notes that some of the work of James Cowpe resembles that of Edward East suggesting that it is possible that he worked for East at some time. With this in mind it is perhaps interesting to note that the particularly fine and attractive dial engraving exhibits shows notable similarities to that of a longcase clock movement and dial by Edward East sold at Bonhams, London Fine Clocks 6th July 2016 (lot 103); and again, with the dial of an East table clock illustrated in Dawson, P. G., Drover C.B. and Parkes, D.W. Early English Clocks on page 85 (Plate 104). The bold signature lambrequin is also reminiscent of those seen on clocks on clocks by various London makers during the 1670's. The design and layout of the movement, however, is commensurate with those made by Parisian clockmakers from around 1675; a comparable movement by Gaudron Paris dating to around this time is illustrated in Plomp, Reinier Early French Pendulum Clocks, 1658-1700 on page 69, (Figure 121). The five-wheel trains are delicately executed and allow the clock to run for at least eight-days, the strike train incorporates finely worked scroll pierced strike detent gates typical of the best Parisian work of the period. When considering the 'English' style of the dial engraving alongside with the specification and layout of the movement a date of 1675-80 would seem most likely hence it is most probable that they were made by James Cowpe, rather than Edward. Although the pattern for the marquetry for the case does not appear to match other examples analysed in Plomp, Reinier Early French Pendulum Clocks, 1658-1700, two clocks by Thuret, both with matching elements within the marquetry (most notably to the column shafts), are illustrated in Tardy LA PENDULE FRANCAIS, I're Partie, De l'Horloge Gothique a la Pendule Louis XV on page 97. Condition Report: Movement is in fine clean fully working condition and is presented in its original form. A couple od spare holes to the plates near the reception suggest that the escapement may well have been converted to Brocot type recoil/anchor and subsequently reconverted. If the escapement is a re-conversion it has been executed to very high standard perfectly replicating the original. The frontplate has two holes (to the right of the escapement) suggesting that the hour bell was once supported on a stand screwed to the movement hence the present configuration with the bell mounted on the top of the case is a reinstatement of the original configuration. The dial is in fine original condition with some slight mellowing to the finishes only. The case is in fine fundamentally original condition with no problematic lifting or losses to the marquetry. There is some evidence of cosmetic restoration in the past (re-securing lifting to the marquetry and small veneer patch repairs/replacements to the pewter stringing to the sides. The movement and dial appear original to the case (there is no evidence of any other movement ever being fitted), the turn-latches that secure the movement in position (to the rear of the dial mask) have been re-positioned due to their original holes screw becoming worn.Clock is complete with pendulum, case key and winder. Condition Report Disclaimer

A VERY RARE FRENCH HOUDIN-TYPE GILT BRASS MYSTERY GLASS-DIAL NIGHT TIMEPIECEUNSIGNED, MID 19th CENTURYThe circular eight-day single train movement with platform Debaufre-type frictional rest escapement regulated by sprung monometallic balance, the front motionwork incorporating pulley and continuous coiled spring belt continuing up into the superstructure to drive a revolving circular glass plate, set behind the conforming 4 inch frosted Roman numeral hour disc, fitted with single gilt arrow-shaped hour hand at the centre, the outer track of the dial divided for five minutes and set within a brass ring, over twin griffin-cast supports issuing from a fluted acanthus cast post with lappet leaf decorated collar, the plinth-form base applied with a small candle holder cast as a dolphin set behind the dial over shallow concave sides and repeating oval motif cast caddy top mouldings, above architectural rectangular pilaster corner uprights flanking shaped panels cast in the Renaissance manner with foliate panels to front and sides, the rear with plain pin-hinged door, the moulded panelled apron skirt applied with Baroque strapwork mount to front and rosette decorated plinths to angles.34.5cm (13.5ins) high, the base 12cm (4.75ins) square.The present lot is a very rare variant following in the manner of Robert Houdin who developed this form of mystery timepiece during the 1830's. Houdin's timepieces were made with movements concealed within a decorative shaped base and utilised a pin-wheel and take-off arbor to drive the rear glass plate. The current lot, however, uses a much simpler system. A tightly-coiled spring 'belt' is driven by a pully fitted to the front of the movement, this passes through the griffin cast mounts and over the of the rear revolving glass plate and is concealed within the brass frame bordering the dial. The plate rotates and the hand fixed to its centre provides the time on the separate stationary frosted glass hour dial. A further noteworthy detail is that the movement incorporates a Debaufre-type frictional rest escapement as used by Paul Garnier in his early carriage clocks. The provision of a candle holder behind the translucent dial disc is also a useful addition as it allows the present lot to function as an effective night timepiece.  Condition Report: The movement is complete and in working order with no visible evidence of alteration or noticeable replacements. The mechanism is a little dirty hence a sensitive clean/service is advised. The drive to the dial is present however the finely coiled wire/spring belt is not being driven by the pulley at the front of the movement due to lack of friction (pully turns but slips within the belt). The glass dial plate with the hand turns freely together with the belt - hence if the friction between the drive pulley and the belt itself could be improved then the dial would most likely operate correctly. The glass dial plates appear original and are undamaged, the numerals are very slightly faded. The bezel ring around the dial is tarnished/discoloured at the front but retains good gilt finish at the rear. The case is generally in very good original condition retaining gilt finish with only minor spotting/discolouration and edge wear in places; the finish is a little dull/dirty so may benefit from a gentle clean if looking for a strong bright finish.Timepiece has a winding key. Condition Report Disclaimer

A FINE FRENCH 'WALKING ELEPHANT' AUTOMATON FIGUREATTRIBUTED TO ROULLET AND DECAMPS, PARIS, CIRCA 1895The animal modelled in papier mache composition covered with felt faux grey hide and with painted wooden tusks in standing pose with trunk raised, wearing an elaborate paste and faux pearl set red velvet tabard-type 'saddle' covering decorated in the Indian style with gilt brocade and tassels, riding on the back of the animal is a bisque-headed character doll modelled as a young girl wearing a gilt brocaded silk gown, jewelled belt, silk breaches and a turban, holding aloft a gilt line entwined staff issuing ribbons in her left hand, the spring-powered mechanism wound to the left hand side causing the elephant to stride forward on spur-ratchet rollers within the feet and the figure to presumably rock back and forth with the motion of the elephant whilst walking.35.5cm (14ins) high, 39cm (15.25ins) long, 13cm (5ins) wide. Jean Roullet was a leading Parisian maker of automata who set up business at 10 Parc Royal in 1865. His daughter, Henriette, married another talented maker of automata, Ernest Decamps who joined the firm to create Roullet and Decamps. The business continued under successive generations throughout the 20th century with the last of Henriette and Ernest's sons, Gaston, dying in 1972. Amongst Roullet and Decamps products were a series of walking animals of which the elephant is one of the best known. The mechanism incorporated into the present lot utilises ratchet-tooth wheels to each foot to allow the animal to 'grip' the surface as it moves forward. This system was patented by Roullet and Decamps hence a firm attribution can be placed. The bisque-headed figure and 'saddle' covering to the back of the animal is a very rare feature and is of the finest quality. Condition Report: The mechanism is currently fully wound but is not operational - something appears to be jammed. Unfortunately the nature of the construction of the automaton means that we cannot gain access to the mechanism to investigate the issue. Externally the automaton is in very good original condition; the 'rider' has papier mache body and is seated on a post connected to the mechanism beneath; the attachment to this post has become loose so the figure can be lifted off. The cloak of the seated figure has some noticeable fading to the shoulders/arms as well as some degradation to the silk; her pantaloons have degraded at the knees. The tabard over the elephant has some wear/fading and there is a small loss to the brocading. The elephant skin has some staining to the trunk and has evidence of being partially re-glued to the underside including a small area of overpainting. The legs are fine condition and complete with their ratcheted wheels to the feet. There is a winding key included.Please see/request additional images as these form part of this condition report. Condition Report Disclaimer

A RARE SWISS MINIATURE SHAGREEN MOUNTED SILVER PETIT SONNERIE STRIKING AND REPEATING CARRIAGE CLOCKUNSIGNED, CIRCA 1900The frosted gilt eight-day two train movement ting-tang striking the quarters on a graduated pair of gongs and sounding the hour on the larger if the two, the strike train winding through the base of the case and the going train with platform lever escapement regulated by sprung bimetallic balance, the 1 inch circular white enamel Arabic numeral dial with blued steel spade hands and Arabic five minutes beyond the minute track set within a silver bezel fitted with convex glass, the case with 'whiplash' curve hinged carting handle and convex cornice over shagreen panel infill around the dial and to the sides, the also lined with shagreen and incorporating a hinged door inscribed E. A. Willmott, Warley Place, Essex to inside surface, on generous convex moulded skirt base.7.5cm (3ins) high with handle down, 5.5cm (2.125ins) wide, 4.5cm (1.75ins) deep. Provenance:Purchased (unrestored and in dirty condition) at Chorley's sale Spetchley Park, The Attic Sale 28th January 2020 (lot 636) for £1,400 hammer.  The inscription to the backplate indicates that the present lot was once the property of Ellen Willmott, one of the most significant female horticulturalists of the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. Born in 1858 Willmott, together with her parents and sister, built Warley Place within extensive landscaped grounds after benefitting from a substantial inheritance from Ellen's Aunt, Countess Helen Tasker, who died in 1888. Ellen's skill and dedication in developing the gardens at Warley led her to support plant-hunting expeditions and collect new species for planting; it was the introduction of non-native specimens, such as Veronica prostrata 'Warley Blue', Potentilla nepalensis 'Miss Willmott', and Syringa vulgaris 'Miss Ellen Willmott', that she became best known for. The gardens at Warley were held in such high regard that they were subsequently visited by Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, and Princess Victoria. Ellen Willmott was also further recognised for her talent by her peers, receiving the Royal Horticultural Society's Victora Medal in 1897, the 'grande medaille Geoffroi St. Helaire' (from the Societe d'acclimation de France) in 1912 and the Hean Hole medal (from The National Rose Society) in 1914. Sadly, heartbreak in her personal life led Ellen to first spend time away in France, before returning to continue with her passion for the garden and music but in a more reclusive manner. Despite this at one point she employed 104 gardeners at Warley Place, purchased and developed extensive gardens both in France and Italy, and published two books (Warley Garden in Spring and Summer 1909 and The Genus Rosa in two volumes 1910-14). Latterly Ellen's behaviour became more erratic and by the late 1920's her inherited fortune had waned causing her to sell he French and Italian properties; died alone in 1934.Ellen Willmott's younger sister, Rose, married into the Berkeley family of Spetchley Park, Worcestershire. Both sisters worked together in developing the Gardens at Spetchley where Rose lived until her death in 1922. It is most probable that the present clock was left at the estate by Ellen Willmott, whist staying there to assist her sister with the gardens. The current lot belongs to a varied series of montre pendulette de voyage carriage clocks and timepieces made in Les Ponts-de-Martel, Neuchatel, Switzerland, by makers such as Mathay-Tissot, during latter years of the 19th century up until the late 1920's. Most of these were either sub-miniature, or mignonette sized. 'Mignonette' translates as 'little darling' with the standard French models coming in three differing heights; at 3.5 inches (with handle up) the size of the present clock sits between mignonette No. 2 and No. 3. UPDATED 13/09/2023 9:15am - Please note that during winding the mainspring to the going train has let go hence requires attention or possibly a new mainspring. The striking train is still fully operational. Condition Report: UPDATED 13/09/2023 9:15am - Please note that during winding the mainspring to the going train has let go hence requires attention or possibly a new mainspring. The striking train is still fully operational.Movement is in clean fully working condition retaining original frosted gilt finish to the plates and with no visible evidence of alteration or noticeable replacements. The dial is in fine condition with no visible damage or evidence of restoration. The case is in fine condition exhibiting only a few extremely minor minor/tiny scuffs and scratches to the silverwork.Unfortunately we do not have a winding key for this clock. Condition Report Disclaimer

A GERMAN RENAISSANCE LARGE VERGE FUSEE HOUR STRIKING PRE-HAIRSPRING CLOCK-WATCH OR 'COACH WATCH'INITIALLED M.Z. POSSIBLY FOR MARTIN ZOLLER, SOUTH GERMANY, SECOND QUARTER OF THE 17th CENTURYThe full plate movement with four baluster column pillars pinned through the backplate, the fusee going train with plain stop-iron block and verge escapement regulated by two-arm steel balance now sprung and with regulation slide adjustment to the backplate, the locking plate controlled strike train with standing barrel, foliate engraved and pierced gilt brass detent gate and sounding via a hammer positioned beneath the spring barrel on a bell fitted to the interior of the case, the backplate with asymmetric foliate scroll pierced and engraved balance cock decorated with tulip and other blooms issuing from a sculpted trefoil-shaped foot, set beside a countwheel with rosette engraved centre and numbered divisions, mainspring set-up ratchet and engraved initials M. Z., now with a later simple 4 inch slightly convex brass Arabic numeral dial with stylised cruciform hour markers and simple steel hand, the case hinged at the edge of the dial and secured by a hinged clasp, the interior fitted with a bell and the rear extensively pierced and engraved with scrolling flowering foliage around a central chrysanthemum bloom, the integral walls with twin conforming pierced bands divided by panels decorated with further flowerheads.The pillar plate 9.8cm (3.875ins) diameter; the case 10.8cm (4.25ins) diameter, 5cm (2ins) deep. Martin Zoller is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as working in Augsburg 1590-1633. The design and layout of the movement of the current lot is typical of central European examples made during the first half of the 17th century by which time the basic design had become relatively standardised and remained essentially unchanged for the next 100 years or so; the inherent portability of such timepieces no doubt contributed to timepieces of essentially the same format and exhibiting similar decoration being made right across Europe including London. Indeed, a slightly earlier clockwatch by Jacques Bulke, London, (which shares the same basic layout of the present lot) was sold at Sotheby's, London THE GEORGE DANIELS HOROLOGICAL COLLECTION 6th November 2012 (lot 38) for £21,000. This example was the usual smaller size and, being slightly earlier, was contained in a 'tambour' type case with the pierced side walls being vertical and made separately from the convex rear panel. The form of one-piece slightly rounded case, as used for the current lot, was introduced around 1620 and became standard for verge watches throughout their production. The distinctive engraved and pierced scrolling foliate backcock of the current lot can be very closely compared to that used on a vertical table clock movement by Hanns Buschmann, Augsburg, (circa 1620) which was sold at Patrizzi and Company, Milan, sale of PRE-PENDULUM EUROPEAN RENAISSANCE CLOCKS, SINGLE OWNER COLLECTION 24th May 2009 (lot 65). The strong similarity between these two balance cocks would suggest that they were made/finished in the same workshop, most likely a specialist 'finisher' to whom the work was outsourced. The sculpted trefoil-shaped foot to the cock is unusual and harks back to earlier examples with simpler sculpted steel balance cocks.The relatively large size of the current timepiece places it amongst a rare group of travelling timepiece which have been traditionally called 'coach watches'. Being too large to carry about the person such timepieces would have most likely been 'placed' either within lodgings whilst travelling or even onboard a ship. Although the original dial has been lost the rest of the present lot appears to have survived intact and free from significant alteration. Condition Report: The movement is essentially complete and survives in its original configuration albeit it with 'service' replacements to the trains and will run/beat when wound. The going train retains original flanged barrel, fusee and chain; the second, contrate and escape wheels have been re-pinioned and the escape wheel is a replacement. The contrate appears to have hand-cut teeth so are probably original. The escape wheel pivot potance has been repaired (contrate end). The strike train is also operational however will require adjustment/setting-up/synchronising. All wheels above the second wheel have been re-pinioned and the locking wheel is probably a replacement; the fly is definitely non-original. The countwheel detent has been repaired, the countwheel itself appears original. The backplate exhibits some pivot-closing marks and re-bushing to the fusee pivot as well as other re-bushing to pivots further down the train. The flat rim balance has significant age so could be original; the balance spring is a later addition and a regulation arm has been fitted annotated by 'dot' engraving 'L' and 'R' to the backplate. The balance cock is original but is now fitted with a pin to anchor the hairspring near the tip. The fusee spring set-up ratchet and pawl are probably replacements; the original sculpted steel locking spring is present but appears incomplete. Adjacent to the strike train winding square are two holes most likely from stopwork which is no longer present. Overall the mechanism is dirty/tarnished by does retain traces of original gilding. As catalogued the dial has been replaced. The hand is also later. The our wheel is hand-cut and has age so may be original. We believe the case and dial plate/ring to be original and are both in good original condition with no losses. The dial plate has three additional holes drilled for fitting a dial and the case has some slight shallow denting, the finish has been polished in the past hence gilding has been rubbed-off and the surface is now a tarnished/discoloured. The bell applied to the interior of the case appears original, is free from cracks and rings well. There is no winding key present. Condition Report Disclaimer

A VERY FINE WILLIAM III WALNUT AND ARABESQUE MARQUETRY QUARTER-REPEATING MONTH-GOING LONGCASE CLOCK THOMAS WHITE, LONDON, THE CASE IN THE MANNER OF GERRIT JENSEN, CIRCA 1695The substantial six finned and latched two train bell striking movement with plates measuring 8.375 inches high by 6 inches wide cut with aperture for the escapement pallets at the rear, the five-wheel going train with anchor escapement incorporating inverted Y-shaped pallets regulated by one-and-a-quarter seconds pendulum incorporating a second false bob and regulation adjustment at lenticle height, the hour striking train with large diameter hammer pin wheel and internal rack gathered via a flag to the arbor behind the third wheel, the pull-quarter repeat mechanism powered by a leaf spring and sounding a peel for each quarter on a graduated nest of three bells before releasing the hour strike train, the 12 inch square brass dial with subsidiary seconds dial and chamfered calendar aperture incorporating pin-hole adjustment to the very finely matted centre, within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised cruciform half hour markers and small Arabic five minutes beyond the minute track, with fine scroll pierced and chased steel hands and winged cherub and foliate scroll cast spandrels to angles set within a leafy herringbone engraved border interrupted with signature Thomas White, Londini fecit to the lower margin, the case with repeating leaf inlaid lip to the ogee cornice and foliate scroll pierced fret to frieze, over hinged front veneered with fine leafy trails to the frame of the glazed dial aperture and applied with three-quarter columns with crisply cast capitals and bases to the front angles, the sides with hinged doors inset with fine scroll pierced frets and with conforming quarter columns set against bargeboards at the rear continuing up past the frieze to meet the underside of the lintel, the trunk with concave throat moulding decorated with a central stylised scallop shell flanked by leafy strapwork infill and applied with generous volute scroll-carved corbel ornaments to front angles, the 42 inch rectangular door centred with a brass-bordered circular lenticle and veneered with three shaped triple-lined edged panels decorated with further symmetrical foliate strapwork designs within a figured walnut field, bordered by a conforming line-edged band of repeating leaves and half-round cross-grain edge mouldings, the surround fronted with further conforming scrollwork and the sides with twin triple-line edged panels within crossbanded borders, the plinth base with marquetry decorated cavetto top moulding over conforming shaped panel incorporating concentric designs to the foliate scroll decoration within leaf-banded scroll trail decorated borders, on cavetto moulded skirt base.221cm (87ins) high, 55cm (20ins) wide, 27cm (10.5ins) deep. Provenance:The property of a private collector, acquired in Portugal. Literature:Dzik, Sunny and Still, Roger BENEATH THE DIAL, English Clock Pull Repeat Striking 1675-1725 pages 558-560. Dzik notes that Thomas White was born in County Pembrook, Ireland in 1644 and trained as a clockmaker in Dublin (under John Turner) before moving to London in the early to mid 1670's. He married in London in 1674 and was made a 'free Brother' of the Clockmakers' Company in January 1683/4. Thomas White had a working association with Thomas Tompion taking-on the latter's first address on Water Lane when Tompion moved to larger premises on the corner of Fleet Street in 1678. White is thought to have retired after vacating Tompion's former premises by 1694 and probably died before 1700. Of Thomas White's work the present clock is one of only two clocks by him known. His other clock is an eight-day longcase clock (case sadly lost) incorporating full Tompion-type pull-quarter repeating illustrated in Evans, Jeremy THOMAS TOMPION, at the Dial and Three Crowns on page 52 (Figures 92 and 93). The movement of the present clock is discussed in detail by Dzik and Still and is testament to the maker's highly ingenuitive approach. The quarter-repeat work is particularly notable for the sophisticated economy of its design. Although there are some visual similarities with Tompion's system (most notably the pivoted geared tooth sector to the activation arbor) White has devised a much-distilled mechanism by simplifying and refining elements. An example of this is the quarter pinwheel, which is reduced to three pins and mounted via a ratcheted wheel so the train remains stationary during pulling. The three quarter bells are all operated by each of these three pins via a single lever which, when drawn back, releases a series of hooks to the bell hammers causing all the bells to sound in sequence. The strike train is notable in that it requires enough facility in the train to allow for reasonable operation of the repeat work throughout the month. This is achieved by gearing with a large diameter hammer pin wheel. The rack is very finely made, with an exquisite rack hook, and is released after the quarters have sounded via a carefully worked S-shaped detent engaging with the strike train rack hook in a highly controlled manner. The dial compliments the movement having particularly fine matting to the centre and well-sculpted hands. The chapter ring emulates Tompion but with slight additional flourishes to the half-hour markers; the 'herringbone' engraved border is also finely drawn and the scripted signature beautifully executed. The case of the present clock is particularly fine with details such as the bargeboards at the rear of the hood rising past the frieze to meet the underside of the lintel, extensive use of frets, and crisp gilt brass column castings, being typical of examples made to house movements by Thomas Tompion. The carved volute scroll ornaments to the throat are notably rare embellishments only seen on the highest status examples including Tompion No. 275 - a walnut grande-sonnerie striking longcase clock believed to have been made for William III, circa 1696 (See Evans, Jeremy; Carter, Jonathan and Wright, Ben THOMAS TOMPION, 300 YEARS pages 492-93). The marquetry veneers, however, are very unusual for a longcase clock and depart from standard 'Tompion' practice who is not known to have decorated his clocks in this manner. When considering marquetry clocks in general, those veneered with arabesque/seaweed tend to have 'all-over' decoration to the front rather than in panels. Although the use of panels is known (see Cescinsky, Herbert and Webster, Malcolm English Domestic Clocks page 157) the actual shape of the those on the current lot is highly unusual in that the upper and lower margins incorporate convex shoulders rather than being of the simpler normal break-arch profile. This shape of panel, however, is often seen on contemporary case furniture including examples attributed to the workshops of the Royal cabinet maker Gerrit Jensen. Amongst such examples are two cabinets made by Jensen for the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth, and a kneehole desk in the Royal Collection at Windsor. A bureau on stand, exhibiting similar shaped panels to the fall (as well as triple-line stringing and foliate banded borders), is illustrated in Bowett, Adam English Furniture 1660-1714 page 217, Plate 7.43 and on dust jacket. The individual high-quality approach to both the movement and case of the present clock is indicative of a clockmaker... TO READ MORE CLICK HERE.

A RARE SLIGHTLY EROTIC CARVED PIPE TAMPLER, CIRCA. 1680 - 1700. A woman with a man at her side. 7cm long with metal tamper.