Beschreibung:

A fine gilt brass giant carriage timepiece with original mahogany outer travelling case Arnold and Dent, London, circa 1830 The four pillar single chain fusee movement with Harrison's maintaining power and fitted with large gilt platform underslung English lever escapement with split bimetallic balance applied with cylindrical compensating weights, the backplate with Slow/Fast regulation to the rear edge of the platform table above winding square and knurled knob labelled Set Hands over signature Arnold & Dent, LONDON to lower centre, the 3 inch circular white enamel Roman numeral dial with repeat signature ARNOLD & DENT, LONDON to centre and blued steel moon hands set within rectangular gilt mask deeply chased and engraved with foliate scrolls and canted bezel surround, the substantial bevel-glazed gilt brass case with hinged double baluster turned handle and glazed escapement aperture to the canted edge sunken 'well top' within generous cavetto moulded outer cornice over rounded corner uprights and conforming cavetto moulded skirt base fitted with rounded squab feet, the rear glass sliding downwards to allow access for winding and setting and secured with a retaining clasp to baseplate, 19cm (7.5ins) high excluding handle; with original padded baize-lined mahogany outer travelling box with remnants of leather strap handle, 23.5cm (9.25ins) high overall. Edward John Dent was a talented horologist who at the age of 17 transferred his apprenticeship from the trade of tallow chandler to watchmaking under the charge of Edward Gaudin in 1807. By 1817 he had become well known as a watch and clockmaker receiving commissions from the Admiralty for a 'Standard Astronomical Clock' and pocket chronometers for the Colonial Office Africa Expedition. In 1830 Dent went into partnership with John Roger Arnold which continued until 1840 when he left and set up business alone as E.J. Dent at 82 Strand, London, primarily making marine chronometers, watches and precision clocks. John Roger Arnold was born in 1769, the son of the famous watch and chronometer maker John Arnold He initially trained under his father and then Abraham Louis Breguet before, in 1787, going into partnership with his father. The firm of Arnold and Son subsequently became principal suppliers of early marine chronometers to the Royal Navy and lasted until the death of John Arnold senior in 1799. John Roger Arnold continued the business, in 1817 he was appointed Master of the Clockmakers' Company and in 1821 he was credited with the invention of the 'U' shaped compensated chronometer balance. In 1830 Arnold took Edward John Dent into partnership (after the unfortunate demise of his adopted son and likely successor); the partnership lasted ten years before being dissolved leaving Arnold to work alone until his death in 1843. The current lot can be directly compared to another example by Arnold and Dent (numbered 303) illustrated and discussed in Staeger, Hans 100 Years of Precision Timekeepers from John Arnold to Arnold & Frodsham, 1763-1862, Pages 685-8. Staeger suggests that number 303 is possibly the earliest surviving carriage clock by Arnold and Dent, however it is probably appropriate to suggest that the current lot, being unnumbered, could be earlier. The distinctive sunken 'well top' design of the case is a form favoured by Dent which can also be seen on smaller models; a related case (containing Dent number 1302) is illustrated in Allix Charles and Bonnert, Peter Carriage Clocks, Their history and development on page 256, plate IX/22. The original mahogany outer travelling box is particularly noteworthy being a rare survivor in relatively good original condition. Condition report disclaimer