George Graham, London

Circa 1745

Sold

13 ½ inches

A very rare ebony and silver-mounted striking table clock with quarter repeat. CASE The case has an inverted bell top, which is surmounted by a typical gilt-brass foliate-tied D-ended handle with rosette terminals. The front door has typical foliate-cast gilt-brass escutcheon of cartouche outline; both the door lock and the two door hinges are original and even retain their original retaining screws and pins. The top rail is set with a finely pierced ebony sound fret and the door glazing is framed by beautifully crafted delicate ebony mouldings – with identical mouldings to the sides and rear door. The sides are set with pierced ebony sound frets with faded pink silks and the moulded base of the case rests on the original ebonised block feet. DIAL The dial is 5 ½ x 6 ½ inches, it retains the original gilding and is beautifully signed Geo Graham London in flowing script flanked by subsidiary dials for strike/silent and pendulum regulation with original blued steel hands. The silvered chapter ring has Roman & Arabic chapters and fine quality blued steel hands, the centre is finely matted and has apertures for the mock pendulum and calendar. There are beautifully cast and chased silver mask-and-foliate spandrels to the lower corners and silver quarter mounts to the upper section. The dial plate is held to the movement front plate by means of three latched feet. MOVEMENT The movement has 7 knopped and latched pillars, the two trains have spring barrels and fusees with the original chain lines. The going train has the original verge escapement and the strike train peels the hours on the larger of the two bells. The original pull quarter repeat is based on Tompion’s exceptional quality all-or-nothing system with complex cantilevered bars on the front plate and interlocking double-cocked blued steel levers on the backplate with pull cords to either side. The backplate is signed Geo Graham London in lovely flowing script. The movement is secured within the case by means of two bolts into the base pillars and two brass movement brackets in the sides of the case. George Graham George Graham d. 1751 was both apprenticed and partner to the England’s greatest clockmaker Thomas Tompion d. 1713. When George Graham inherited Tompion’s business he continued, and arguably raised, the exceptional standards that Tompion insisted on when he was alive. The over-riding factor that distinguishes both Tompion’s and Graham’s work from all other contemporary makers is that they set their bar higher than any of their contemporaries. Makers such as Quare, Gould, Ebsworth, Gretton & Pullar to name but a few, produced a range of standard domestic clocks. Tompion and Graham also made a range of standard clocks, viz the present example, but the difference was that their standard clocks were better quality even than their competitors’ finest bespoke clocks. The present clock is a very fine and original example of Graham’s work, it retains both the original verge escapement and the all-important original repeating system. In addition the case retains all the original mounts with their lovely golden gilding. This clock is a quintessential example of Graham’s work and it would make the perfect addition to any of the finest clock collections in the world. Achievements George Graham was made Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1722. He is credited with several design improvements to the pendulum clock; his fascination with precision timekeeping stayed with him all through his life and perhaps his most notable invention was the mercury pendulum. Graham’s enthusiasm for horological advancement is best perhaps demonstrated when he was introduced to John Harrison on his arrival in London by the Astronomer Royal Edmond Halley. Harrison was new to London and he was running out of money whilst desperately trying to advance his work on solving the longitude problem. Graham became a long-time advisor and financial supporter of Harrison, support that to greatly contributed towards ultimately solving one of the greatest navigational problems in history. Graham was also widely acquainted with practical astronomy; he invented many valuable astronomical instruments, and improved others. Perhaps his most important scientific instruments were the great mural quadrant at Greenwich Observatory which he made for Edmond Halley and the fine transit instrument and zenith sector which were used by James Bradley in his discoveries.