Astronomical chronometer

George Margetts (1748 - 1804)

National Maritime Museum

circa 1783

Watch revolving within a Y-form bracket on a tripod stand with folding feet. The rotating dial of the clock is made of enamel and painted in grisaille with the constellations. Against this, moving gold symbols indicate the positions of the sun and moon. As Jonathan Betts has observed 'such extravagant novelties were ... popular with East India Company officers and ... were almost certainly made ... for the far eastern market.'

• Artists Include:
• Thomas Earnshaw

• Medium: gilt brass, steel, glass, enamel
• Dimensions: 41 x 33 x 31cm
• Art Fund Grant: £24000 ( Total: £46,637)
• ArtFunded in: 1998
• Vendor: Christie's

Provenance

Paul Mellon collection, previous history unknown

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