Beschreibung:

An unusual Regency balloon-shaped automata timepiece with picture dialHayter, early 19th centuryThe small five pillar back-wound single fusee short duration movement with verge escapement regulated by sprung five-arm steel flat rim balance set beneath a scroll engraved cock applied to the stylised leafy spray engraved backplate signed HAYTER to a scroll banner within geometric border, applied directly to the rear of 6 inch circular dial plate painted with a landscape scene with figures before a church with unusual belfry to the tower and incorporating the small circular gilt on black Roman numeral chapter disc with gilt spade hands, the distance with a windmill tower on top of a hill fitted with an arbor driven by an auxiliary wheel within the movement for operating a rotating windmill sail automaton, set within hinged cast brass bezel into the balloon-shaped case edged in boxwood and with shaped door incorporating circular glazed aperture to rear over cavetto moulded skirt base with bun feet, (unrestored, windmill sails for automata and bezel glass lacking) 37cm (14.5ins) high. A Samuel Hayter is recorded in Loomes, Brian Watchakers & Clockmakers of the World, Volume 2 as also an organist working in Mere, Wiltshire in 1842. The current lot is an unusual timepiece which has survived in sound unrestored condition. The movement appears to have been specifically made with an additional wheel to the train to provide an arbor to operate the windmill sail automaton, however it is otherwise constructed in a similar manner as short duration movements often seen in Regency period sedan timepieces or miniature mantel clocks. As of yet the location of the landscape view to the dial is unidentified, although it may be an imaginary composition distinctive features such as the belfry cupola to the church tower would assist in identification if the scene if it was painted from life.