Beschreibung:

A rare mid-19th century Canadian brass-strung mahogany two-day marine chronometer with Lund-type auxiliary compensation and exhibition provenanceA. B. Smalley & Son, Saint John, New Brunswick, Number 3712 The three-part case with replaced top lid and double brass strung lines to the front, the centre section with brass 12-point star button above a mother of pearl signature plaque, A. B. Smalley & Son, 3712 the lower section with inlaid brass 12-point star escutcheon and campaign handles. Internally, the case has a full length hinge, retaining bar, safety key in its quadrant, gimbal lock and the remains of an applied horological advert....Brewers Canal, Antwerp. The 3.75-inch silvered dial signed A. B. Smalley & Son, Makers to the Admiralty, Saint John, New Brunswick, the minute band framing Roman numerals, with gold hands, the subsidiary power reserve dial at XII running from 0-56 in 8 hour increments and instruction to wind at 24 hours, large observatory-style seconds subsidiary between V-VII, engraved 3712 Auxiliary Compensation in red. The spotted full plate movement with four tapered pillars and maintaining power to the chain fusee, free sprung blued steel helical balance spring with diamond endstone and Earnshaw type escapement, cut and compensated bimetallic balance with timing screws and unique bimetallic auxiliary compensation to the upper end of each of the circular weights, in a weighted, gimballed bowl, punch numbered 2022. Ticking with a Tipsy key. Please note, this lot will be subject to US Fish and Wildlife regulations if imported into the USA 20cms (7.5ins) highFootnotesExhibited 'Your Time', an exhibition by the Northern Section of the Antiquarian Horological Society at Prescot Museum, February-April 2008; Williamson Museum & Art Gallery, Birkenhead February-April 2008. Exhibit P60. Arthur Ball Smalley was born in London around 1841 and initially worked in the city before relocating to St. John, New Brunswick Canada in 1870 to marry one of the residents, Deborah Tucker May. May was originally from Nova Scotia and was about nine years Smalley's junior; although she describes herself as English, it does not seem that she had ever been to the U.K. before her marriage, which raises the question of how she met Smalley. Interestingly, it states that Smalley's 'point of origin' was Massachusetts; perhaps this was where his ship docked, and he travelled up to New Brunswick from there, or he may have initially established himself in Massachusetts and met May there? Smalley described himself as a jeweller throughout his career, the British Horological Institute noted that he was 'a leading watchmaker of St. John's, New Brunswick', though it remains unknown to which Company, if any, he served his apprenticeship. He was an occasional contributor to the Horological Journal, particularly as regards chronometers, with which he seemed to have a particular interest. In 1876, he submitted a model of a new marine chronometer balance to the British Horological Institute; it comprised of a backwards Z-shaped balance wheel, with both sections of the arm at right angles to each other. In 1881, the family was living at 201 Douglas Ave. and it seems likely that the shop was located in a different building. This was certainly the case by 1894, where the shop address was listed as 91 Prince William St. Smalley and May would have seven children including Arthur Cobden, who would become a jeweller as well, and it seems carry on the work in the shop. By 1901, the shop had been renamed from A.B. Smalley to A. B. Smalley & Son. It is unknown when Smalley died, both he and May were still living in 1917, and attended one of their children's weddings. It is tentatively suggested that they had both died by 1928, though this is far from certain. No records can be found of Arthur Cobden after about 1913; whether he died or simply moved out of New Brunswick is unknown. It is known, however, that the shop at 91 Prince William Street ceased trading in