Charles Frodsham 8-Day Marine Chronometer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1884
Maker / issuer
Charles FrodshamThis English eight-day marine chronometer by Charles Frodsham dates to circa 1884. Sourced auction documentation states that the instrument was manufactured for Frodsham by Viktor Kullberg (workshop number K 4106) and bears movement and case serial number 0019.
The chronometer is mounted in brass gimbals within a brass-bound mahogany box featuring screwed brass drop handles. The silvered dial is signed 'Charles Frodsham, 84 Strand London, No. 0019' with inlaid Roman numerals, an oversized subsidiary seconds register, an 8-day power reserve indicator, and blued hands. The source describes the movement as a 3/4 plate calibre with chain and fusee, Arnold-type spring detent escapement, and a bimetallic Z-balance.
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
- Box marine chronometer
- Escapement
- Spring detent escapement according to John Arnold
- Case Number
- 0019
- Dial Signature
- Charles Frodsham, 84 Strand London, No. 0019
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Movement Number
- 0019
- Maker Attribution
- Viktor Kullberg for Frodsham
- Maker / attribution
- Charles Frodsham
Design
- Visible features
- • Chronometer bowl mounted in brass gimbals within a brass-bound wooden box • Gimbaled bowl fitted beneath a protective glazed bezel • Silvered dial displays Roman numeral hour markers, an upper winding indicator, and an oversized lower subsidiary seconds dial • Circular printed or engraved maker shield inlaid inside the hinged lid section • Heavy brass carrying handle attached to the side of the mahogany box
- Dial and Mechanism
- The silvered dial bears the signature 'Charles Frodsham, 84 Strand London, No. 0019' and features Roman numerals with blued spade hands. Functional elements include an 8-day power reserve indicator and an oversized auxiliary seconds register. The 3/4 plate movement includes a chain and fusee, a spring detent escapement according to John Arnold, and a bimetallic Z-chronometer balance with two screws and two weights. The balance is free-sprung with a blued helical balance spring.
- Construction and Exterior
- The chronometer is enclosed in a mahogany box featuring screwed brass handles and an inlaid bone shield. The source text provides conflicting descriptions regarding the box structure, referring to it as both a 'three-part' and a 'large, two-part' transport case. The chronometer bowl is mounted in brass gimbals. The viewing area is enclosed by a glass rim secured with a bayonet lock.
- Object Identification and Provenance
- This marine chronometer is attributed to the maker Charles Frodsham, identified by serial number 0019 on both the movement and the case. The instrument is dated in the source to circa 1884. Auction documentation identifies the maker as Viktor Kullberg (workshop number K 4106) for Charles Frodsham. A reference to the instrument is noted in the work 'The Frodshams – The Story of a Family of Chronometer Makers' by Vaudrey Mercer (1981).
Identification
- Serial number
- 0019
- 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 internal 3/4 plate movement and escapement details are reported by the auction catalogue and cannot be verified from the exterior photograph.
- Research required: The catalog text refers both to a 'two-part transport case' and a 'Three-part mahogany box'.