Marriott, London

A small fine and rare mid 18th century ormolu-mounted quarter chiming table clock with enamel dials. Circa 1750

Case

The mahogany case with caddy top surmounted by a flambeau finial over mounts of scrolls and foliage, the side apertures backed in silk and covered with pierced scroll frets, the arched front door with gilt liner, the flared base with foliate paw feet.

Dial

The three and three quarter inch white enamel dial with Roman numerals, with matching gilt hands, set below a subsidiary strike/silent dial, both dials framed by gilt scroll spandrels.

Movement

The twin gut fusee movement with shouldered plates united by five knopped pillars, the going train with knife-edge verge escapement, the strike train sounding the hours and quarters on a pair of bells and hammers mounted on the backplate. The backplate engraved with a central basket of flowers over the signature within a delicate floral scroll cartouche and flower sprays.

Height 15 inches

John Marriott worked in Fleet Street, London. Apprenticed in 1755 and Free of the Clockmakers' Company from 1768 until his death in 1824. A similar ormolu-mounted turtle shell case with musical and automaton by Marriott is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in 'Clocks and Watches of the Qing Dynasty from the Collection in the Forbidden City', Foreign Languages Press, 2002, Page 164, No 113. See English Clocks for the Eastern Markets by Ian White. Published by the AHS. Page 217 for further examples and information on similar clocks by Markwick Markham Perigal, James Cox and Francis Perigal.

A similar clock by Marriott, the case of burr elm rather than mahogany was sold at Sotheby's, London, 25 April 2007, lot 76 and another turtleshell example by Marriott Bonhams, 13 July 2023.