Edward John Dent Gilt-Brass Chronometer Carriage Timepiece, No. 693

Technical characteristics

Type

Carriage clock

Dimensions

18 cm (7 inches) high

Place recorded

United Kingdom

Dial Description

3-inch white enamel dial with subsidiary seconds dial and signed Dent London

Balance and Spring

Staple balance with blued helical spring

Movement Mechanism

Chain fusee with Harrison's maintaining power and underslung spring detent escapement

Maker / attribution

Edward John Dent

Backplate Inscription

Signed Dent, London, 693

Maker and Serial Number

Edward John Dent, No. 693

Design

Visible features

• Front view displays a white enamel dial with blued spade hands and a secondary seconds indicator set into a dense openwork floral gilt mask. • Gilt-brass case features a moulded cornice, plinth base, and a hinged carrying handle decorated with a central tied-ribbon motif. • Bevelled glass side panel reveals internal brass clock movement components.

Dial and Case Construction

The timepiece is housed in a gilt-brass moulded case featuring bevel-glazed panels, a plinth base, and a sunk top fitted with a hinged carrying handle decorated with a central tied-ribbon motif. The front presents a 3-inch white enamel dial set into a dense, foliate pierced and engraved gilt mask. The dial displays black Roman hour numerals, blued spade hands, an upper subsidiary seconds dial, and is signed 'Dent London'. The complete height of the case is recorded as 18 cm (7 inches). Through the bevelled glass side panel, internal brass clock movement components remain partially visible.

Attribution and Source Context

The timepiece was catalogued as lot 70 in Sotheby's sale 'A Gentleman’s Cabinet of Curiosities | The Collection of the late Naim Attallah, CBE'. The auction house records the maker as Edward John Dent, located in London, dating the piece to 'circa 1850' under number 693. An estimate of 8,000 to 12,000 GBP was provided by the auctioneer. Specific condition notes were not recorded in the public source text without logging in.

Reported Movement and Chronometer Mechanism

According to the auction catalogue description, the movement is constructed with a chain fusee equipped with Harrison's maintaining power. The platform is described as gilt and fitted with an underslung spring detent escapement (printed in the catalogue text with an apparent misspelling as 'Earshaw's spring detent escapement'). The catalogue description further states that the escapement utilizes a staple balance with a blued helical spring, and that the plain backplate is signed 'Dent, London, 693'. These internal mechanism features and backplate markings are catalogued by the source but are not directly visible in the front photograph.

Identification

Serial number

693

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.