Name: 19th Century Brass Skeleton Clock Model of Westminster Cathedral, London
Brand: W. H. Telford

19th Century Brass Skeleton Clock Model of Westminster Cathedral, London

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About the Item

Westminster Skeleton Clock Pierced, polished brass plates on marble base, 22” high W. H. Telford, Whitehaven, England, ca. 1850 The history of horology divides neatly into the making of clock works and clock cases – independent enterprises almost never undertaken by the same craftspeople. Unsurprisingly, the artisans crafting cases very often hide away the works, thought utilitarian, no matter their ingenuity. In France in the late 18th century there was a small revolution in clockmaking (a parallel development to other revolutions?) which saw the development of so-called ‘skeleton clocks’, which is to say timepieces where ‘skin’ is absent, and whose works are on display and, in fact, the central decorative feature. Unsurprisingly, though this impulse to overthrow proven centuries of French clockmaking might be thought proletarian, the resulting, very expensive clocks were purchased strictly by the most haute of bourgeoisie (another parallel to other French revolutions?). By the middle of the 19th century, skeleton clock-making had emigrated to Britain, with timepieces produced for a wider popular appeal (read : less expensive). Many of these clocks were made to resemble, in abstract ways, sentimentally favored British landmarks, including Westminster, Lichfield and York Cathedrals, as well as the Sir Walter Scott Memorial in Edinburgh. The phenomenon reached its height ca. 1850, and was largely played out thirty years later. The skeleton clock on offer, designed to resemble the outline of the façade of London’s Westminster Cathedral, was made in the 1850’s by the W. H. Telford firm in Whitehaven, a town on the west coast of Cumbria, 300 miles north of London. Kelly’s Directory of the Watch and Clock Trades (1880) shows Telford’s shop at 28 King Street in Whitehaven, among that city’s nearly 20 clockmakers. This skeleton clock is characteristic of British timepieces made in this period, with four thick, pierced polished and lacquered brass plates supporting the works, which are in plain view. There are two keyed spring windings, one powering the movement, the other, the bell strike mechanism. The entire assembly is mounted to a stepped marble base, and was covered by a glass dome, no longer present. Signed on two engraved plates at the bottom of the brass plates “W. H. Telford” and “Whitehaven”.

Creator:
W. H. Telford (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 22.5 in (57.15 cm)Width: 10 in (25.4 cm)Depth: 16 in (40.64 cm)
Style:
Grand Tour (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Marble,Cast,Polished
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1850
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. The clock is in working condition.
Seller Location:
Lafayette, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU114324420793