In what has been a buoyant first quarter for clocks of quality, the 109 examples at Chiswick Auctions’ (22% buyer’s premium) March 21 sale of horology and European works of art made a significant contribution to the £225,000 taken by the 275 lots on offer.
Perhaps the most eye-catching success was a mystery clock by 19th century clockmaker-magician Jean Eugene Robert- Houdin. The 13in (35cm) tall bronze and glass clock was an example of the so-called fifth series of Houdin’s work. His first clocks, produced since 1831, had circular dials and worked via the rotation of a glass sheet and a toothed rim to move the hands.
By 1839 Robert-Houdin thought clocks were losing their mystery and developed the square-dial model which works through minute oscillations produced by a cam and rod which he produced until 1844. Last December Chiswick sold a series two clock for £14,000.