Below are some examples, information, history and price guides to antique and vintage musical bracket clocks including a Louis XV gilt-bronze mounted turtleshell clock and a musical clock by Thomas Lozano.
Musical bracket clock with calendar ca. 1770 or later Clockmaker: Thomas Lozano A native of Spain, Lozano learned his craft in London and spent his working life there, hence the London place-name and Spanish spelling on the dial of this clock. The case, dial, and back plate of the clock all reflect the influence of English rococo style but are not typically English. The movement incorporates a musical mechanism, with a choice of twelve tunes, which like the striking mechanism can be silenced at will.
Reference: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Musical Bracket clock by Thos Uddal Made in England, c 1805. Musical Bracket Clock, by Thos. Uddal, England, c. 1805. Brazillian rosewood case, ebony and tulip inlays and ornamented with brass inlays in Regency taste. Twelve bells play 8 tunes at 12-3-6-9 o’clock 26” high x 15” wide x 9” deep. (SB).
Reference: Museum of Applied Art and Sciences
A Louis XV gilt-bronze mounted turtleshell quarter striking musical bracket clock, retailed in Paris, Swiss, circa 1765 11-inch enamel dial signed Jean Gattinoi A Paris, the two train movement with verge escapement and silk suspension, quarter striking on two bells, the cadrature mounted on the backplate, triggering a further chain fusee musical movement with 6½-inch cylinder playing one of six tunes on a carillon of thirteen bells with twenty-one hammers, the waisted case veneered with red shell and with gilt rococo scroll mounts and trellis side frets; on a conforming bracket Clock 94cm. 37in. high; Bracket 35cm. 13¾in. high
Sold for 10,000 GBP at Sotheby’s in 2016
AN EARLY 19TH CENTURY BRASS MOUNTED MUSICAL BRACKET CLOCK WITH SELECTION FOR EITHER ‘FORTE’ OR ‘PIANO’ SOUND TO THE 14 HAMMERS AND BELLS ALSO ‘TING TANG’ CHIMING THE QUARTERS ON A FURTHER TWO BELLS Gravell & Tolkein No.3266 The mahogany case surmounted by a pagoda top over four finials and a well moulded cornice supported on canted top fluted pilasters, side lions mask handles and fish scale side frets to a plinth base on shallow ogee arched brass feet, the 8 inch arched brass dial with large twin subsidiaries in the arch for Music & Strike/Silent and a choice of six tunes comprising: Allemand, Dance, Reel, Song, Rondo, and March centred by a smaller subsidiary to regulate the volume of the tune ‘Forte or Piano’, the silvered Roman and Arabic dial with inner concentric date and plain signed and numbered centre, the substantial signed and numbered movement with thick plates united by six knopped pillars, the backplate with engraved running border, deadbeat escapement ting-tang quarter chiming every 15 minutes and playing one of the six tunes on every hour on 14 bells and hammers. 71cm (28in) high
Sold for £ 8,812 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2019
A SWISS ORMOLU-MOUNTED TORTOISESHELL QUARTER-STRIKING MUSICAL BRACKET CLOCK ON WALL BRACKET THIRD QUARTER 18TH CENTURY The waisted case with foliate cast and scrolling mounts, detachable pierced ormolu sidepanels, white enamel dished dial with Roman and Arabic numerals, pierced and engraved ormolu hands, the eight-day twin barrel movement with square plates joined by back-pinned pillars, verge escapement with silk suspension, rack and countwheel strike, striking the quarters and hours on two bells above, the musical movement with 16.5 cm. long pinned brass barrel playing eight tunes with twenty-one hammers on 13 bells, music is tripped on the hour and is playing on demand by a pull repeat; pendulum, winding key, door key 128 cm. high (overall) (2)
Sold for EUR 19,375 at Christie’s in 2010
Charles II Style Gilt-Metal Mounted Walnut Musical Bracket Clock The movement signed B&D Ltd., with a three-train movement, the case fitted with a carrying handle, pierced mounts and finials, on a rectangular plinth. Height 18 inches (45.7 cm), width 12 3/8 inches (31.3 cm), depth 8 inches (20.3 cm).
Sold for $312 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle New York in 2016
