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Circa 1750
Price on application. Please get in contact.
48 inches high
A very rare and early black and gilt japanned tavern clock. CASE Of tear drop outline the trunk is signed Benj: Gray Just: Vulliamy London in the original gilt lettering above a rectangular trunk door decorated with a gilt Chinoiserie harbour scene with figures and three-masted ship DIAL The 18inch dial has a fine convex-moulded bezel and gilt Roman & Arabic chapters with the original pierced heart-shaped brass hands MOVEMENT The timepiece movement has tapering plates with six pillars and anchor escapement Provenance Christie's, London, 12th December 1988, lot 162, sold for £12,650 (catalogue included) Bought by Anthony Woodburn (original invoice) The Tappenden Trust Benjamin Gray is listed as born in 1676, he was a fine watch and clock maker and was made Watchmaker to the King George II in 1742. Justin Vulliamy was a very talented Swiss emigre watchmaker who married Benjamin Gray's daughter and was his business partner from 1746 to 1760 at Gray's premises in Pall Mall. Vulliamy went on to become clockmaker to King George III and his son Benjamin and grandson Benjamin Lewis went on to become clockmakers to King George IV and Queen Victoria. The case's iconic teardrop outline is believed to have been exclusive to Vulliamy's workshops – possibly less than five examples are known to exist - the present example is the earliest extant and the only one to survive with Gray and Vulliamy's joint signatures.