Clocks

An eight-day longcase clock is a stand-out item of local interest at the upcoming Arley Hall Antiques and Fine Art Fair.

Celebrated in the thoroughly modern way with a Google Doodle on April 3 on what would have been his 325th birthday was John Harrison.

Made by William Selwood (1607-53), one of London’s finest clockmakers before the ‘Golden Age’, this 16½in (42cm) mid-17th century brass lantern clock topped Ewbank’s (22.5% buyer’s premium) spring sale in Send.

Holker Hall, the privately owned country house in Cumbria, hosts its first fair in nearly 25 years this month.

Specialists who relaunched North Yorkshire auction house generate old-school optimism.

A pendulum clock used in an early longitude trial will be offered for sale by Dreweatts next month.

Two of the first sales of 2018 suggest that toasts to the future can be drunk from half-full, rather than half-empty, Georgian rummers.

This ‘Goliath’ carriage clock, below, was offered at Greenslade Taylor Hunt (19.5% buyer’s premium) in Taunton.

Good times ahead were predicted by Guy Schooling, chairman of Sworders (23% buyer’s premium), after the January 9 Homes & Interiors sale at Stansted Mountfitchet which was topped by a WAS Benson brass mantel clock.

Second World War technology starred at Tennants’ (20% buyer’s premium) militaria sale at Leyburn.

Clocks from England’s ‘Golden Age’ provided highlights at two early December sales.

Top-quality timekeepers of accessible size by major makers are the main strength of the 19th century clock market.

Can any of your readers help with research into the obscure 17th century clockmaker William Banks?

Qualifying for the oxymoronic term ‘giant carriage clock’, the 8in (20cm) tall gilt-metal carriage clock shown below had the quality to trigger a bidding battle between specialists at Chilcotts (19.5% buyer’s premium) in Honiton on December 2.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

“No one can rival Thomas Cole for engraving in the 19th century,” said director Jamie South after this exhibition-quality carriage clock sold for £26,000 (plus 20% premium) at Gardiner Houlgate in Horsham, Bath, on October 25. It went to an American buyer towards the top end of the estimate.

A horological story rarely makes the national news, but the announcement that Big Ben is falling silent until 2021 as major conservation work begins rang loud and clear in headlines.

What is selling well in the clocks and watches world? Dealer Warren Wilkinson, who has been collecting and repairing clocks and watches for 40 years and who is a regular standholder at Love Fairs events, is a good man to answer that very question.