Longcase clock by Vulliamy, London, c. 1835–1840

Dealer description — Howard Walwyn

An exceptional early 19th century longcase clock by this famous Royal Clockmaker with possible Royal or Government provenance. The twelve inch silvered square brass dial retains its original steel pointers and is finely engraved and includes an aperture to view the day of the month above VI and a strike/silent option above XII. Below the centre of the dial it is signed by the maker, Vulliamy London N° 1103 . There is a subsidiary seconds dial below XII and it is engraved with the Crown and Royal Cypher for Queen Victoria. The substantial 8-day duration movement has five pillars, an anchor escapement and rack striking mechanism with the hours sounded on a bell. The original chamfered ebonised wood rod pendulum has a large brass bob with a knurled brass calibrating rating nut beneath. The movement is also signed by the maker on the backplate Vulliamy, London 1103 and is fixed to the seatboard with two substantial brass fixing brackets. The elegant architectural case is veneered in highly figured mahogany and has achieved a good mellow colour with excellent patination. There is a double plinth to the raised panelled base, a long moulded trunk door with stop fluted chamfers which are repeated each side of the pedimented hood. Height : 85 ½ in (216.5 cm) * The Crown and the Royal Cypher which are engraved on the dial indicates that this fine clock was made either for a Royal household or a government office. In addition, it has an original V*R paper label stuck onto the inside of the trunk which corroborates the above. On the outside of the backboard there is a 20 th century label inscribed Atlanta House , a government owned building which was badly bombed in WWII. The Vulliamys made many clocks which saw service both in Royal properties and government/civil service buildings and this clock is no exception. * * Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was born into this famous dynasty of clockmakers in 1780, the son of Benjamin and grandson of Justin. He was admitted to Freedom of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1809 and became Clockmaker to George III, George IV and Queen Victoria. Benjamin Lewis was one of the founding members of the Clockmakers’ Company Clock Collection. A number of his personal effects including part of his library can be seen to this day in the Science Museum in South Kensington, London. He died in 1854. Reference : B. Loomes, Clockmakers of the World: 21 st Century Edition , p.802 Cedric Jagger, Royal Clocks , pp.201-208, fig.274 HW6445