Beschreibung:

AN ENGLISH SMALL CHASED ORMOLU AND PASTE-SET QUARTER-STRIKING, MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON TABLE CLOCK
AN ENGLISH SMALL CHASED ORMOLU AND PASTE-SET QUARTER-STRIKING, MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON TABLE CLOCK JOHN MOTTRAM, LONDON. GEORGE III PERIOD (1760-1820), LATE 18TH CENTURY CASE: on a stepped square platform raised on four splayed feet terminating in balls, all sides of the plinth applied with foliate scroll and flowerhead mounts flanking flowerhead bosses, an openwork balustrade above intersected at intervals by ball-topped tapering columns, all main panels bordered by beaded galleries, the sides centred by silk-backed openwork foliate cast sound frets, each angle with a projecting feathered scroll mount, the rear door pierced with silk-backed circlets and with oval lattice-work sound frets, the five-stepped top with four further pierced balustrades and surmounted by a twin-handled vase supporting a paste-set whirligig DIAL: with beaded mount (probably later) to the bezel and convex glass to white enamel Roman and Arabic dial, pierced ormolu hands and blued steel seconds hand, adjusted by a replaced paste-set knob below the dial AUTOMATON: hourly, or via button pulled to the right side of the case, the paste-set whirligig above the urn revolves; while music plays MOVEMENT: with rectangular plates, triple chain and fusees with dead beat escapement, quarter-striking with two hammers on two bells to the rear of a nest of eleven bells, the music playing via pinned barrel on the same eleven bells with eighteen hammers, playing one of four tunes selected by a square on the back plate, the back plate with engraved border and with holdfast for the brass-rod pendulum, signed Jn. Mottram/LONDON 26½ in. (66.5 cm.) high x 9¾ in. (24.5 cm.) wide x 9¾ in. (24.5 cm.) deep