Benjamin Louis Vulliamy striking turret clock movement no. 1711
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1845
This is a mid-19th-century striking turret clock movement by Benjamin Louis Vulliamy of London, catalogued under number 1711 and dated 1845. The mechanism is mounted in an open iron frame with shouldered arched upright terminals and an applied silvered signature plaque.
Front-facing indicators include a silvered Roman countwheel and an Arabic minute chapter ring. The weight-driven movement features maintaining power and a pinwheel escapement, alongside a striking train with a large fly. The auction lot is catalogued as including a 91-inch wooden rod pendulum with a signed double-sided bob, weights, and a crank handle.
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
- Date
- 1845
- Type
- Turret clock movement
- Maker
- Benjamin Louis Vulliamy, London
- Dimensions
- 71cm x 39cm (2ft 4 in x 1ft 3in)
- Escapement
- Pinwheel escapement
- Serial Number
- 1711
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Pendulum Length
- 91 inches
- Maker / attribution
- Benjamin Louis Vulliamy
Design
- Visible features
- • Substantial dark open frame with shouldered arch terminals on the uprights and bolted feet. • Central applied silvered rectangular plaque mounted on the upper front crossmember. • Silvered countwheel ring visible on the lower left and silvered Arabic chapter ring on the upper right front. • Brass wheels, arbors, winding barrels, and a crank handle projecting from the lower right side.
- Frame and Physical Structure
- The movement is constructed within a dark, open frame resting on bolted feet. The catalogue text describes the structure as 'the very substantial frame with shouldered arched terminals to the uprights and applied silvered signature plaque', measuring 71cm by 39cm (2ft 4in by 1ft 3in). Visible within the framework are brass wheels, arbors, winding barrels, and a crank handle projecting from the lower right side. The applied silvered signature plaque is positioned horizontally across the upper front crossmember.
- Dial Indicators and Train Mechanics
- Two silvered rings are mounted directly to the movement front for regulation and setting. The auction description lists a 'silvered Roman countwheel and silvered Arabic minute chapter ring mounted to the front', visible respectively on the lower left and upper right front of the mechanism. The movement is catalogued as a weight-driven turret mechanism featuring maintaining power and a 'pinwheel escapement'. The striking train is regulated by an aerodynamic brake described in the source as a 'large fly'.
- Associated Equipment and Recorded Condition
- The cataloguing specifies that the lot is 'complete with 91-inch long wooden rod pendulum terminating in a signed double sided bob, weights and crank handle'. The pendulum rod, signed double-sided bob, and weights are described in the text but are not depicted in the primary auction photograph. A footnote in the auction catalogue notes that 'This clock was fully overhauled in the late 1990s and is in remarkably good condition.' The record does not identify the restorer, original tower installation location, or current mechanical running order.
Identification
- Serial number
- 1711
- 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 91-inch pendulum, bob, and weights mentioned in the catalogue entry are not shown in the primary photograph.
- Research required: The overhaul in the late 1990s is source-reported by the auction house.