Fine English 8 day brass Marine chronometer watch Circa 1860

Brass chronometer in a mahogany box
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A fine English, 8 day going mahogany marine chronometer with reverse fusee, power reserve indication and ratchet key, circa 1860. Two tier (lid missing), brass bound corners, external drop handles, glazed top, the upper section with ivory signature plaque, gimbaled brass bowl with locking slide. Silvered dial with champlevé radial Roman numerals, outer minute track with Arabic five minute numerals, subsidiary seconds and power reserve indication, engraved with the Royal appointment and 1855 Exhibition gold medal of honour badges. Gold spade hands.

A gilt brass movement, half plate, spotted decoration, ring turned pillars, reversed fusee and chain, Harrison’s maintaining power, Earnshaw’s spring detent escapement mounted on a two tier circular carriage with peripheral brass balance guard, jewelled locking stone, cut bimetallic compensation balance with two segmental temperature weights and two temperature adjustment screws, two meantime adjustment screws, free sprung blued steel helical balance spring with upper and lower terminal curves, diamond endstone. Dial, case and movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 121 mm
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Dimensions box: 190 x 200 x 200 mm
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Signed: Charles Frodsham  London
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Charles Frodsham (1810-1871). Was the most celebrated of the Frodsham family, with its numerous watchmakers, and was a prominent maker of very high grade chronometers and watches. For the 1851 exhibition, they introduced a three-quarter plate calibre which they marked AD.FMSZ, which continued subsequently to be put on all their highest grade work. In 1868 he devised a form of electrical contact for taking signals for chronometers. The company he founded continued after his death. Reverse Fusee An arrangement whereby the conventional positioning of the barrel and fusee is reversed. Hence, the fusee chain crosses over between the barrel and fusee, near the centre wheel pinion, reducing the friction on the arbour bearings.