Queen Mary’s ‘Tortoise Shell’ Tompion Circa 1693
A unique and highly important William & Mary pewter and brass inlaid red turtleshell miniature striking spring clock of royal provenance
Height
11¾ inches (298 mm)
Case
The case of tête de poupée form comprising an oak carcass veneered with red turtleshell inlaid with brass and pewter in formal strapwork and foliate panels in the Marotesque style with a mask of Apollo above the dial and bellflowers around the dial, surmounted and flanked by gilt-brass finials, the scroll base on the original gilt-brass plate, but now supported on a later turtleshell, pewter strung, shaped plinth. Solid brass rear door attributed to Graver 155 with profuse geometric foliate engraving and centred by an engraved wheat-ear oval.
Dial The 4½ inch (114 mm) diameter visible fire-gilt brass dial signed Tho Tompion Londini Fecit within the matted centre with high position winding holes and mock pendulum aperture, the Roman chapter ring typically engraved with sword-hilt half-hour marks and Arabic minutes with cross half-quarters, outside the minute divisions. The front door opening to reveal the full cartouche-shaped fire-gilded dial plate, which is embellished with foliate engraving by Graver 155 (see Thomas Tompion 300 Years, p.177), with rise-and-fall pendulum regulation dial, marked for 0-60 in the arch, and centred by a Tudor rose.
Duration
8 days
Movement
The twin fusee movement, specially commissioned for this case with uniquely shaped plates, six fully latched baluster pillars with twin gut fusees and spring barrels; the going train with pivoted verge escapement and worm-driven rise-and-fall pendulum regulation behind the dial plate, with short brass rod pendulum and screw-adjusted lenticular bob; the strike train, governed by a rack and snail, striking and trip repeating on the bell mounted above. The very finely engraved back plate by Graver 155, with scrolling foliage and swags of bellflowers, signed Tho: Tompion LONDINI Fecit in a wheatear oval reserve to the lower centre.
Escapement
Pivoted verge with worm-gear operated regulation
Strike Type
Hour striking with trip repeat
Provenance
Probably supplied to Queen Mary in August 1693, at a cost recorded in the royal ledgers of £40.00;
Wetherfield Collection UK and sold Hurcomb, 1928;
Dunlap Collection, USA;
JA Millar, France, sold Christie’s, London, 25th November, 1981;
Private collection USA, until sold in 2004;
The John C Taylor Collection, inventory no.125
Exhibited
1933, 22-28 November, London, Royal Exchange Tompion Loan Exhibition;
2004, Holland, Paleis Het Loo, Huygens’ Legacy, exhibit no.79;
2014, Cambridge, Corpus Christi Exhibition;
2014, London, Guildhall Library, Worshipful Company of Clockmakers Exhibition;
2018, London, Innovation & Collaboration, exhibit no.107
Literature
A Loan Exhibition of Old English Clocks entirely the work of and signed by THO: TOMPION, catalogue, 22-28 November, 1933;
Dawson, Drover & Parkes, Early English Clocks , p.520, col. pl.32, p.531, pl.784-5, p.534-5, pl.786-90;
Huygens’ Legacy, 2004, (illus.) p.226-9;
Evans, Tompion at the Dial and Three Crowns, AHS, 2006, listed p.70;
Evans, Carter & Wright, Thomas Tompion 300 Years, 2013, (illus.) p.396-9;
Garnier & Hollis, Innovation & Collaboration, 2018, (illus.) p.350-1.
Comments This is a unique clock within Tompion’s known oeuvre, however the signature engraved within the dial matting, is also found on the Powis and Ilbert longcases, as well as the miniature metal cased spring clock, the Lonsdale Tompion No.23.
This royal clock has a superb French case housing a unique striking clock specially commissioned from Tompion, who designed and made the movement and dial specially to fit, as well as installing an engraved gilt-brass back door. The case was possibly ordered from the Paris master, André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732), who became the most famous French cabinetmaker and the preeminent artist in the field of marquetry. Boulle was the most remarkable of all French cabinetmakers and Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683) recommended him to Louis XIV of France, the Sun King (1638–1715), as the most skilled craftsman in his profession. Over the centuries since his death, his name and that of his family, has become associated with the art he perfected, the inlay of brass and pewter into ebony and turtleshell, so much so that it has become known simply as Boulle work.
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