James McCabe London No.447

An Important exhibition desk chronometer by James McCabe London No.447. circa 1856

Case

The heavily cast stand inset with a bevelled mirror, the whole finely chased and engraved with leaves and flowers. The waited supports with mirror-backed and glazed silvered panels engraved with the monogram and arms of Henry Fraser Walter. The fully glazed bowl mounted in an elaborate pierced and foliate engraved gimbal.

Dial

The 4¾-inch silvered dial signed and numbered James McCabe, Royal Exchange,London, No.447, large diameter subsidiary seconds dial at VI and state-of-wind dial beneath XII, finely pierced blued steel fleur-de-lys hands,

Movement

The eight day double frame fusee movement having three pillars to the main frame supporting a screwed on top plate signed Jas. McCabe, Royal Exchange, London, No.447, with Earnshaw type spring detent escapement on a separate sub frame. Blued steel helical balance spring, 2 arm cut compensation balance.

20cm by 25cm by 20.5cm; 8in by 9¾in by 8in

Provenance

Henry Fraser Walter, Papplewick Hall, Nottinghamshire

The arms and monogram on the side plates are those of Henry Fraser Walter (1822-1893). He was a grandson of John Walter (1738–1812), founder of The Times newspaper and was born at Times House, Printing House Square, London. Henry’s older brother, also John, took over the The Times on the death of their father in 1847. Although Henry was for some time involved in the manufacture of paper, he relinquished his interests in that business in favour of his son and spent much of his life engaged in country pursuits and world travel. By 1850 he was living in some style with his wife, Isabella and their children, at Papplewick Hall, Nottinghamshire, which was to remain his home for the rest of his life.