W.E. Frodsham two-day marine chronometer no. 2
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1825
This two-day marine chronometer by William Edward Frodsham is dated 1825 and numbered 2. Mounted in gimbals inside a three-part mahogany box, the instrument features brass carrying handles, an escutcheon with an inset brass Admiralty 'x' deaccession mark, and an ivory front plaque inscribed 'TWO DAYS'.
The 3-inch silvered dial features Roman numerals with a subsidiary seconds dial above VI. The movement is fitted with a chain fusee, maintaining power, a cut and compensated bimetallic balance with cylindrical weights, a helical balance spring, and a diamond endstone. The auction catalogue documents its historical service on the second voyage of HMS Beagle and later during the North American Boundary Expedition.
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
- Two-day marine chronometer
- Dial Signature
- Wllm. Edwd. Frodsham éleve of Parkinson and Frodsham, Change Alley, London, Two Days
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Case Dimensions
- 16cm (6.25in)
- Case Construction
- Three part mahogany case with brass carrying handles and ivory plaque
- Maker / attribution
- W.E. Frodsham
- Backplate Inscription
- Willm Edwd Frodsham AD 1825, London
Design
- Dial Details
- The 3-inch silvered dial bears the signature 'Wllm. Edwd. Frodsham éleve of Parkinson and Frodsham, Change Alley, London, Two Days'. It includes a subsidiary seconds dial positioned above the VI numeral and is numbered '2'. The reverse of the dial exhibits evidence suggesting the removal of a broad arrow mark at the time of the instrument's deaccession.
- Visible features
- • Three-part mahogany box opened displaying the brass gimbal mount, locking mechanism, and circular brass bowl • Silvered dial with black Roman numerals, blued hands, and subsidiary seconds dial • Oval ivory plaque inset beneath the keyhole escutcheon inscribed 'TWO DAYS' • Brass side drop handle mounted on shaped brass backplate • Recess cutout visible on the second cover where a plaque was formerly installed
- Case Construction
- The instrument is housed in a three-part mahogany box, which features brass carrying handles and a brass escutcheon with an integrated release button for the upper cover. An ivory plaque inset on the front of the box is inscribed 'TWO DAYS'. The box includes an internal gimbal mount and a locking mechanism for the circular brass bowl. The second cover features a recess, described as being cut for a larger plaque that is currently missing.
- Movement and Mechanism
- The chronometer movement features a chain fusee, maintaining power, a cut and compensated bimetallic balance with cylindrical weights, a helical balance spring, and a diamond endstone set in a double-screwed chaton. The backplate is inscribed 'Willm Edwd Frodsham AD 1825, London'. A small, shallow circular recess is present on the plate to the left of the balance, documented as the location where an Ordnance arrow was removed during deaccession.
Identification
- Serial number
- 2
- 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: Source reports evidence of the removal of Ordnance/broad arrow marks on the dial reverse and movement plate when deaccessioned.
- Research required: A larger plaque originally situated on the second cover is noted as missing, likely removed upon deaccession.