Benjamin Vulliamy, London

Circa 1780

Price on application. Please get in contact.

22 ½ inches high

A very fine and rare painted satinwood and gilt-metal mounted table clock. Case The upright rectangular case is entirely veneered with satinwood with harewood crossbanding, the sides have canted angles applied with fine quality ormolu mounts of satyr masks above long trailing berried husks, the flat top has a shallow step supporting a large satinwood urn-shaped finial painted with a collar of leaves and Vitruvian scrolls; the front of the case is painted en grisailles with swags of husks suspending a husk-enclosed circle painted with a figure of a seated putto holding a ouroboros snake symbolising eternity. Each side of the case decorated with a standing putto playing a pipe beneath an oval painted with a wreath of berried laurel encircling a flower head; the base moulding painted with a band of flower heads. Dial The circular white enamel dial has Roman and Arabic chapters with delicately pierced gilt-brass hands and pendulum regulation square above XII; enclosed within a gilt-brass bezel cast with berried husks topped by a garland of ribbon. Movement The movement has square brass plates with four baluster pillars, spring barrel with chain fusee, half deadbeat anchor escapement with ebony-rod pendulum suspended from a regulation bar at the top of the movement; the backplate is delicately engraved with scrolling foliage and flower heads and signed within a floral cartouche in the centre Vulliamy London. Provenance Sotheby's, New York, from the Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Martin Gersh, 18th October 2006, Lot 58, Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, Property from an estate, 9th October 1965, lot 160 Circa 1967 with Frank Partridge Inc, furniture dealers, New York.