Clocks

Salerooms seize the chance as traditional dedicated auctions fade away in London

This 19in (48cm) high late 18th century English mahogany cased bracket clock is one of the horological entries in Fontaine’s online auction to be held in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on November 14.

The latest Clocks & Watches sale at Gardiner Houlgate (20% buyer’s premium) in Corsham, near Bath, was topped at £16,000 by this large iron two-train turret clock movement by Thomas Cooke (1807-68) of York. The estimate was £1000-2000.

The French clockmaker Antide Janvier, who constructed his first mechanical globe when he was only 15, is primarily famous for his highly complex astronomical clocks and planetaria.

Not all early 18th century oak clocks were restricted to a simple style. There were provincial customers who requested more grandeur and country casemakers who could accommodate such requests.

This textbook William and Mary longcase clock is from the workshop of Joseph Windmills, one of the finest clockmakers in late 17th century London.

A 16th century German weight-driven turret wall clock is offered as a prime example of Renaissance horology at New Orleans gallery MS Rau’s exhibition 'Time Across Time: Clocks and the Art of Timekeeping'.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

The allure of well-priced, market-fresh chattels from a blue-blood country estate can pique the interest of the most world-weary auctioneer or antiques dealer.

A recent sale at Veilinghuis de Jager (35% buyer’s premium) in Goes, Zeeland, the Netherlands, included a musical table clock signed for the London royal clockmaker John Ellicott (1706-72).

This 11in (28cm) high French automaton black marble and gilt bronze ‘quarter deck’ clock has a figure of a sailor and a captain at the stern.

This exhibition-quality skeleton clock, made by Anglo-German clockmaking firm Camerer Kuss & Co to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, sold for £78,000 at Bonhams last week.

Estimated at £150-200, this Georgian dial clock stormed to £4800 at Charterhouse (25% buyer’s premium) in Sherborne. Two collectors made much of the bidding.

The maxim that major names and top quality will always sell was underlined in the biannual specialist clocks sale at Dreweatts (25% buyer’s premium).

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.