Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy Fusee Mantel Clock, No. 1874
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1850
This compact mantel timepiece by Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy of London features an ebonised waisted wooden case ornamented with regilded ormolu mounts displaying foliate scrolls and flowerheads.
According to the source, the solid silver dial measures 3½ inches across, incorporating an engine-turned centre, Roman hour numerals, and blued steel moon hands. The source reports that it is powered by a single chain fusee movement with a half deadbeat escapement and an original numbered pendulum, signed and numbered 1874.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Mantel clock
- Height
- 26 cm (10 1/4 inches)
- Movement type
- Single chain fusee with half deadbeat escapement
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Dial description
- 3½-inch solid silver dial with engine-turned centre
- Maker / attribution
- Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy
- Case material and mounts
- Ebonised wood with newly regilded ormolu mounts
Design
- Visible features
- • Waisted ebonised case flanked by gilt foliate scroll mounts and rosettes • Circular silver dial featuring engine turning at the centre, Roman hour numerals, and an outer dotted minute track • Blued steel moon-pattern hands with a single winding aperture situated above VI • Signed 'VULLIAMY' and 'LONDON' on either side of XII
- Dial Configuration and Hands
- The source describes a signed solid silver 3½-inch dial fitted with an engine-turned centre and what the dealer identifies as original blued steel moon hands. Visual inspection confirms the dial has an engine-turned centre, Roman hour numerals, and an outer dotted minute track. The dial is signed 'VULLIAMY' to the left of XII and 'LONDON' to the right of XII, with a single winding square positioned above VI.
- Case Construction and Ornamentation
- The clock is housed in an ebonised wood waisted case measuring 26 cm (10 1/4 inches) in height. Visible mounts flank the waist and base, and the dealer describes these as newly regilded ormolu mounts featuring cast foliate scrolls and flowerheads to each of the four corners. The vendor notes that this waisted case style was used multiple times by Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy, citing a boullework example numbered 1896 and another example sold at Sotheby's in 2010 bearing serial number 1910.
- Movement Details and Serial Number Inconsistency
- The movement is documented by the seller as a single chain fusee mechanism with a half deadbeat escapement, signed and numbered 'VULLIAMY 1874', with an associated numbered pendulum. Internal movement components and pendulum markings are not visible in the provided photograph. A discrepancy exists in the dealer's text regarding the serial number: while the opening description and movement details report number 1874, the dating discussion references 'the present clock No. 1897' when estimating a date around 1850 based on Roger Smith's 1994 Vulliamy numbering study. The dealer also notes that the movement was photographed prior to servicing.
Identification
- Reference
- BHVul
- Serial number
- 1874
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The source text mentions serial number 1874 in multiple places but also inadvertently references 'No. 1897' in the dating paragraph
- Research required: Internal movement and pendulum are not visible in the provided photograph