Time and temperature wait for no man!
A fascinating collection of clocks and barometers assembled by a man captivated by mechanical workings will be auctioned in Chilcotts Auctioneers November 15 sale.
It took three days to remove the entire collection and bring it to Chilcotts, where it has been carefully packed away in several of the auction house’s store rooms ready for cataloguing.
The collector collecting in his early 20s. His day job was working on the railways, but in his spare time, he could be found with a vast assortment of clocks, repairing items he had bought, or were brought to him by family and friends.
The ‘time’ has come to for this collection to find a new generation of enthusiasts. At auction are over 60 lots of complete, working clocks and barometers, spanning the late seventeenth century to the twentieth century. Many were bought at South West dealers, fairs and auction houses including Chilcotts, with others hailing from London sales. There are some fine examples of mantel, longcase, and wall clocks. Several clocks come from his love for the railways, such as station clocks from London, the Midlands, and, more locally, Barnstaple. Most of these still retain their original parts, stamped with the same registration number, a rarity with clocks of this age, including a late nineteenth century drop-dial wall clock from South Molton Street Station, London W1, estimated at £400-600 (plus Buyers Premium).
The highest value clock is an eighteenth century George III Chinoiserie tavern or ‘Act of Parliament’ clock standing over five foot tall, estimated at between £1500 and £2000. The name comes from an unpopular, short-lived 1797 tax on clocks and watches which meant people had to rely on public wall clocks. These clocks typically have a large dial with Roman numerals to be easily seen from a distance, and a long pendulum.
Also in the auction are a number of West Country-made clocks, including 20 full longcase clocks made in Modbury, Crediton, Devonport, Topsham, Barnstaple, Chard, Tiverton and Exeter, and a particularly attractive longcase clock by Totnes clockmaker William Stumbels, crafted in the 1700s. Two Bristol-made longcase clocks include an early eighteenth century clock signed John Martin, which has a Chinoiserie case. As well as clocks, there are also plenty of pocket watches available, together with watch repairing parts and equipment.
Of the barometers, highlights are two nineteenth century ‘Admiral Fitzroy’ barometers. Admiral Fitzroy founded the Met Office and in 1860, created the first daily public weather forecasts. He used barometers to help predict storms for sailors and coastal communities. His work was motivated in part by a tragic hurricane in 1859 that wrecked the Royal Charter. The various barometers, including a precision barometer thought to be from the 1960s, have auction estimates of £50 to £120.
Auctioneer Barnaby Willis, who catalogued the monumental collection said: “This was clearly a massive passion for the collector, with so many superb examples of clocks and barometers plus an extensive assortment of parts and tools including lathes, drills and precision tools. He was so invested in his hobby that he became an ‘at home horologist’ amassing not just clocks and barometers but also horology-based parts, equipment and tools. We have recreated his workshop at the Dolphin Saleroom to give a sense of his wonderful obsession.
“There are plenty of appealing and affordable options from 300 years of history, collected over 60 years. It’s been an absorbing process to go through everything, and I’m sure there will be plenty of interest.”
The sale also includes, from the same vendor, a 5” partly completed, scratch built live steam 4-6-0 Hall class locomotive and tender, a nod to his days working on the railways.
The auction takes place at the Dolphin Saleroom, Honiton High Street, on November 15 at 10am. Viewing is available from November 10, and the online catalogue can be accessed via the Chilcotts website, where details of online bidding are also provided.
