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Lot 144Ф,Y
A mid-20th century mahogany two-day marine chronometer with Admiralty history of WWII use, and four related books Thomas Mercer Eywood Road, St. Albans, No. 15684
13 July 2023, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £1,152 inc. premium
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A mid-20th century mahogany two-day marine chronometer with Admiralty history of WWII use, and four related books
Thomas Mercer Eywood Road, St. Albans, No. 15684
The three-part case with brass star button above an ivory signature plaque, the lower section with inlaid brass escutcheon and campaign-style handles. The 4-inch silvered Roman dial with subsidiary power reserve indicator from 0-56 hours below XII and observatory style seconds dial at VI, signed Thomas Mercer Eywood Rd. St Albans, Eng. below the blued steel spade hands. The spotted full plate movement with four ringed pillars and maintaining power to the chain fusee, free sprung helical balance spring with diamond endstone and Earnshaw type escapement, cut and compensated bimetallic balance with circular timing weights and screws, the edge of the back of the dial and the inside of the backplate both punch numbered 15684, sitting in a weighted, matching punch numbered gimballed bowl. Ticking with a tipsy key, case key, and a hand-setting key. Also including copies of Chronometer Makers of the World by Tony Mercer, Dictionnaire Professionnel Illustre de L'Horlogerie: Français, Allemand, Anglais, Espagnol by G. A. Berner, Mercer Chronometers: History, Maintenance & Repair by Tony Mercer, and Mercer Chronometers by Tony Mercer. 21cms (8ins) wide
The three-part case with brass star button above an ivory signature plaque, the lower section with inlaid brass escutcheon and campaign-style handles. The 4-inch silvered Roman dial with subsidiary power reserve indicator from 0-56 hours below XII and observatory style seconds dial at VI, signed Thomas Mercer Eywood Rd. St Albans, Eng. below the blued steel spade hands. The spotted full plate movement with four ringed pillars and maintaining power to the chain fusee, free sprung helical balance spring with diamond endstone and Earnshaw type escapement, cut and compensated bimetallic balance with circular timing weights and screws, the edge of the back of the dial and the inside of the backplate both punch numbered 15684, sitting in a weighted, matching punch numbered gimballed bowl. Ticking with a tipsy key, case key, and a hand-setting key. Also including copies of Chronometer Makers of the World by Tony Mercer, Dictionnaire Professionnel Illustre de L'Horlogerie: Français, Allemand, Anglais, Espagnol by G. A. Berner, Mercer Chronometers: History, Maintenance & Repair by Tony Mercer, and Mercer Chronometers by Tony Mercer. 21cms (8ins) wide
Footnotes
The paperwork associated with this lot comprises of an extensive, handwritten description of care of the chronometer, as well as an Admiralty service record from Greenwich Observatory. The record states that the chronometer was initially used in Kilindiri (likely an Admiralty base in Sri Lanka) from 1943-1945, before being returned to T. Mercer, presumably for cleaning and any repairs, at a cost of £1 15s. In 1947 the chronometer was installed on the RFA 'Black Ranger' which largely stayed around Devon and Cornwall during this time, with a voyage to Trinidad noted. The ship also managed to rescue a Greek steamer which was cast adrift due to technical issues. The incident made the headlines, but it was shortly after this, in 1951, that the chronometer was returned to Mercer for servicing (at a cost this time of £4 14s) before being installed on the newly built 'RFA Eddyrock'. This ship, and the chronometer with it, spent most of its career around Singapore. Interestingly, the record states that the chronometer was in Singapore in 1957, before being serviced by Graves Antiques, at a service cost of £95. The 'RFA Eddyrock' was bought by a Singaporean company in 1967, so it is reasonable to suggest that the chronometer remained on board the ship through the entirety of 'RFA Eddyrock's' British career. The record states that the chronometer was 'Taken Off Charge' in 1970, though it is not specified what happened to it when it was taken off charge.
http://www.historicalrfa.org/rfa-black-ranger
http://www.historicalrfa.org/rfa-eddyrock-ship-information
https://ww2db.com/country/ceylon
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C527723