Clocks, Watches, Barometers, Cameras and Scientific Instruments

A late 19th century French gilt spelter mantel timepiece, the drum case surmounted with a seated maiden above flowers and foliate scrolls, height 33cm, with pendulum, winding key, glass dome and ebonized stand.

A late 19th century French gilt spelter and porcelain mantel clock with eight day movement striking on a bell, the porcelain circular dial with gilt Roman numerals and pink ground, the spelter case with dove, quiver and lyre surmount above inset porcelain panels and pillars, on fruiting vine moulded feet, the case back stamped 'P.H. Mourey', height 37cm, with pendulum and winding key.

A George III ormolu mounted tortoiseshell ten-tune musical automaton table clock by James Cox, circa 1770-1780, with eight day three train fusee movement, the transverse mounted 5½ inch barrel playing ten tunes on thirteen bells via thirteen hammers, with strike to large bell on backplate, the backplate finely engraved with foliate scrolls, the circular enamel dial with black Roman hour numerals, outer Arabic minutes and inner Arabic date ring, inscribed 'James Cox London', flanked by subsidiary strike/silent and tune selection dials, all within a cast and pierced ormolu surround of rococo scrolls, flowers and two birds, above a painted and cut metal automaton parade scene of European figures, sheep and trees in a rural setting, the rectangular tortoiseshell veneered case with naturalistically entwined foliate scroll ormolu mounts overall, the bell top surmounted by an urn above opposing panels of an Eastern gentleman seated within a tent, cornered by four flambeau vases, the arched door below a king's crown and cornucopia cresting, the sides with arched fret panels, the base centred with fruiting vine above a repeated 'three drop' apron, raised on foliate scroll moulded feet, height 55.5cm. Provenance: consigned from the estate of a private collector, whose London home and contents remained largely untouched for decades. The majority of this collection is Chinese export porcelain of the 17th and 18th century, which is being sold at these rooms in a single-owner sale on 29th November 2018. Note: James Cox (circa 1723-1800) is best known for creating elaborate and ingenious automata and mechanical clocks, which he exported to China and other countries and also exhibited at his Spring Gardens Museum, London, between 1772 and 1776. A number of his clocks from the former Imperial Collection are now in the Palace Museum, Beijing. Among his best known works are the Peacock Clock, now in the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, and the Silver Swan, built in conjunction with John Joseph Merlin, which can now be seen at the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham. Other works by Cox can be found in the British Royal Collection and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. For numerous illustrations and discussions of clocks and automata by James Cox and other celebrated makers, see 'English Clocks for the Eastern Markets' by Ian White. A clock with similar 'three drop' apron is illustrated on the front cover and discussed on page 220. We are grateful to Dr Ian White for his assistance while cataloguing this lot.

An early 20th century mahogany circular cased wall timepiece with single fusee movement, the backplate stamped 'Coventry Astral', the painted circular dial with black Roman numerals within a moulded circular surround, diameter 39cm, with pendulum and winding key.

A late 19th/early 20th century German walnut cased mantel clock with eight day movement chiming and striking on gongs, the backplate with 'Junghans' trademark, the brass arched dial with 'chime/silent and slow/fast indicators to arch above a silvered chapter ring with black Arabic numerals, the case with arched scroll surmount above Ionic pillars and glazed front door, on a plinth base and bracket feet, height 49cm, with pendulum and winding keys.

A late 19th century brass cased mantel clock with eight day movement striking on a gong, the black chapter ring with gilt Roman numerals, the architectural case with seated goddess Athena surmount above relief friezes, Corinthian columns and two classical figures, on a stepped plinth base, height 47cm, with pendulum.

A 19th century French brass and red tortoiseshell boule cased mantel clock with eight day movement striking on a gong, the brass dial with inset enamel hour plaques and outer engraved Arabic minutes, the case with Cupid surmount and inlaid bird and foliate scroll decoration, glazed front door and side panels, on a rectangular base and toupie feet, height 49cm, with sunburst mask pendulum.

A late 19th century French gilt spelter and porcelain mantel clock with eight day movement striking on a bell via an outside countwheel, the circular enamel dial with blue Roman numerals, the case with urn surmount and floral finial, centred with an oval porcelain panel painted with a head and shoulders portrait of a lady, flanked by bellflower swags above further inset porcelain panels and a breakfront base, height 35.4cm, with pendulum, winding key and giltwood stand.

An early 20th century French giltwood sunburst wall timepiece, the enamel dial with Roman hour numerals, diameter 40cm.

A mid-20th century Smiths Sectric gilt sunburst wall timepiece, the signed dial with Arabic numerals, diameter 48cm.

A Regency Scottish brass inlaid mahogany bracket clock with eight day twin fusee movement striking hours on a bell, the engraved backplate inscribed 'J & W Howden Edinburgh', the painted circular dial with Roman numerals and later inscribed retailer 'Mackay & Chisholm Edinburgh' within a pierced and engraved foliate gilt metal surround, the brass inlaid case with flame finial above a pagoda style top, the sides with gilt metal cornucopia and loose ring handles above pierced scale fret panels, on a plinth base and half-reeded ball feet, height 43cm, the pendulum with engraved bob (minor piece of side moulding missing).

A late 19th century French brass mounted slate mantel clock with eight day movement striking on a bell, the dial with gilt Roman numerals and inscribed 'A.R. Savory & Sons Cornhill...', the arched case surmounted with brass hunting horn, sword and oak leaves flanked by a pair of stag masks and fruit, the front with cast panel of a boar hunting scene, on a breakfront base and fluted bun feet, height 44cm, with pendulum and winding key (some faults).

An Edwardian mahogany mantel timepiece, height 17cm, a Bakelite circular cased wall timepiece, the dial detailed 'Smith 8 Day', diameter 17.8cm, an oak cased aneroid barometer and a plated Goliath pocket watch within a silver travelling case, Birmingham 1906, height 12cm.

A modern four glass mantel clock by Franz Hermle & Sohn, with eight day movement chiming on four bells, the silvered chapter ring enclosing a subsidiary seconds dial, the walnut case with burr panels and ebonized pillars, height 31.5cm, together with a modern Georgian style mahogany cased mantel clock by Franz Hermle, height 29.5cm.

An early 19th century ebonized bracket clock with eight day twin fusee movement striking on a bell, the backplate with engraved border and inscribed 'Jn Thwaites London', the painted circular dial with strike/silent indicator above Roman numerals and inscribed 'John Thwaites London', the case with moulded arch pediment and brass carry handle above pierced brass fret panels to front door and sides, on a moulded rectangular plinth base and brass bracket feet, height 48cm, with pendulum and winding key.

An early 20th century German mahogany mantel clock with eight day movement chiming on gongs, the silvered circular dial with black Roman numerals, the backplate stamped with Gustav Becker maker's mark, the domed case with line inlaid decoration, height 35.5cm, with pendulum, together with three Edwardian mahogany cased mantel timepieces and an American rosewood shelf clock, height 23cm, with pendulum.

An early 19th century oak longcase clock with eight day movement striking on a bell, the painted square dial with subsidiary seconds, date aperture and indistinctly signed, the hood with swan neck pediment and glazed door, the case with rectangular trunk door on a plain base, height 198cm, with pendulum and two weights (some faults).

A 20th century brass cased ship's timepiece, the painted dial with centre seconds, outer Arabic minute markers and inner hours, inscribed '0552/461-9413 Made in Great Britain', the circular case mounted on a mahogany backboard, total diameter 30cm, together with a walnut cased aneroid wall barometer, a mantel clock with pendulum and a mantel timepiece.

A late 19th century German walnut mantel clock with eight day movement striking on a gong, the backplate stamped 'Junghans', the dial with Arabic numerals, the case of architectural form, height 40cm, with pendulum.