An English Lacquered Bracket Clock, Robert Ward

SECOND HALF 18TH CENTURY

十八世紀下半葉英國中式風情描金人物木樓自鳴鐘
標記：Robert Ward/LONDON
with handled top over four pineapple-form finials and a steel chapter ring with Roman hours and Arabic minutes, signed Robert Ward/LONDON, the whole with chinoiserie decoration throughout.

這是典型的乾隆年間倫敦鐘錶商面向中國市場製作的自鳴鐘。錶盤四周饰有精美的卷草纹，上方配有止打器，木樓通體刷棕红色洋漆，繪以錦文和花卉紋，上方開光処繪有中國風情的人物圖。四角出銅鎏金菠蘿式頂帽，兩側及背後鑲棕紅色玻璃，既方便發聲，又可觀賞到夾板上滿鏨的卷草紋，支撐鈡身的銅鎏金四足同樣以卷草紋為飾。

Height 19 3/4 x width 11 1/2 x depth 9 in., 50.2 x 29.2 x 22.9 cm.

Property from the Halim Time & Glass Museum, Evanston, Illinois

Eight-day time and strike five-pillar cable driven movement with knife edge suspension, crownwheel and rack and snail striking, striking the hours on a bell. Finely engraved back plate and matching engraved brackets holding the movement in the case. Pendulum lock. Engraved pendulum back cock.

Robert Ward was a renowned maker of musical clocks in the late 18th century. He exported some of his finest, most elaborate work to the Turkish and Chinese markets. A gilt copper musical clock with the figure of a boy and a sheep is in the Palace Museum, Beijing.

One of his most famous pieces is a very rare, exquisite example of a clock for the Chinese market, most likely a commission of George III for presentation to the Chinese imperial court by the Macartney Embassy of 1793. Clocks were a major product of tribute to the court, for the hopes of furthering global trade and increasing Britain’s influence on China.

Robert Ward worked in London on Abchurch Lane after 1768 and was a member of the Clockmakers Company from 1779 until his death in 1808. In addition to the Palace Museum, his work was collected by the Turkish Marryat collection and the famed Ilbert collection.

Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve 本拍品不設底價