As expected, longcases led the way, the best price coming on a c.1775 8ft 1in (2.46m) mahogany example with a 14in (36cm) broken arch dial with moon phases and central calendar and signed J. Greene, Liverpool. With a substantial eight-day movement, the clock also featured a selection of tunes – patriotic ones for weekdays and psalm 104 for Sunday – and sold to the Northern trade above hopes at £12,000.
A similarly sized longcase, c.1770, with eight-day rack striking movement signed Robert Douglas Bolton and with elaborate case with swan neck pediment, cluster columns and Chippendale-style blind frets went within estimate to the Southern trade at £8000, but the surprise of the day was an unusual oak eight-day longcase.
Standing 6ft 2in (1.88m) tall with 10in (25cm) dial signed Joseph Cooper Malpas, it dated from the second quarter of the 18th century. It was a rare piece in that it had a single hand and inside rack and anchor escapement. Estimated at £12,500-2500, it sold to a dealer/collector at £7400.
Best of the bracket clocks was a c.1830 brass inlaid example with 8in (20cm) dial signed P.M. Knight, Pimlico. In a lancet top case with brass scroll inlay Egyptian caryatids it doubled expectations going to a North West collector at £3800.
Phillips, Chester, June 1
Buyer’s premium: 15 per cent.
Quality time at Chester
UK: A HAMMER total of £94,350 from the 91 pieces to get away among the 109 offerings was an excellent start to the month when the Chester rooms could offer some real quality on a day dedicated to clocks and barometers.
