Bonhams 1793 : A fine and rare grande sonnerie striking miniature carriage clock with interesting provenance to the family of Sir David Solomons Le Roy & Fils, no 11293

A fine and rare grande sonnerie striking miniature carriage clock with interesting provenance to the family of Sir David Salomons Le Roy & Fils, no 11293

12 Dec 2012 14:00 GMT London, New Bond Street
Fine Clocks
Back to auction 19809

A fine and rare grande sonnerie striking miniature carriage clock with interesting provenance to the family of Sir David Solomons

Le Roy & Fils, no 11293
The rippled handle set over a large glazed top panel revealing the silvered lever platform escapement with cut and compensated bi-metallic balance, striking the hours and quarters on a pair of coiled blued steel gongs, the signed white enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals over an Arabic alarm setting disc, within an angled gilt mask, the case with three-position lever in the base for grande sonnerie-silence-petite sonnerie; presented in the original numbered travelling case with 'V.S.' initials tooled to the lid 13cms (5ins) high.

Sold for £4,000 inc. premium

Footnotes

This clock was the personal property of Vera Solomons (1888-1969), the fourth child of David Lionel Solomons (1851-1925).

David Lionel Solomons studied at University College, London and at Caius College Cambridge, gaining a BA in 1874. He became a Barrister at the Middle Temple and served as a JP in London, Middlesex, Sussex and Westminster. He was Sheriff of Kent in 1880, and Mayor and Alderman of Tunbridge Wells. His home, Broomhill was a centre of scientific study, it is said that his workshops contained 60,000 tools which were capable of making anything from a watch to a steam engine. He had an abiding interest in all things modern, he owned the second automobile imported into England and was so fascinated by electricity that he had his own coal-fired generator. Broomhill became one of the first private homes to be lit by electricity. He designed and made an electric butter churn, an electric alarm and one of the first electric cooking devices. He published several scientific works but is best known among horological circles today for his pioneering work in the study of Abraham Louis Breguet.

Solomons had the funds and discerning appetite to amass the finest private collection of Breguet clocks and watches in the early years of the 20th century. He published a major work on the maker in 1921. It is fair to say that this collection was also a major influence on one of the 20th centurys greatest watchmakers, George Daniels, who co-authored the catalogue of the collection now cared for by the L.A.Mayer Memorial Institute in Jerusalem.

Vera Solomons lived for much of her life in Jerusalem and was convinced that religious tolerance could grow from an increased understanding of the cultural heritage between the Palestinians and Jews in the city. To this end, she provided all of the funds for the construction of the Museum and wider Institute, as well as purchasing many of the Islamic works of art to accompany those of Breguet and his contemporaries. This clock is sold by a descendant and still bears her initials on the lid.