Thomas Boxell, Brighton – 1865
£2,250.00
A good mid-Victorian oak drop dial wall clock signed Thomas Boxell, Brighton, dating to circa 1865. Boxell (1823–1885) was one of Brighton’s more substantial 19th-century watch and clockmakers, trading prominently from King’s Road and recorded as employing several hands. His output reflects the confident quality associated with an expanding and prosperous seaside town serving both local patrons and fashionable visitors.
The 12-inch cream painted dial is clearly signed for the maker and framed within a well-patinated brass locking bezel and oak surround. The dial retains a pleasing simplicity, allowing the proportions and tone of the case to assert themselves without distraction.
The honey-coloured oak trunk displays raised cockbeading carefully following the outline of the panel, flanked by carved scrolling and foliate ears — an attractive and well-balanced interpretation of the drop dial form. The colour and patina suggest a case that has matured gently and honestly over time.
Behind the dial sits a high-quality timepiece fusee movement. The substantial plates, neatly canted corners and well-shaped back cock speak to a movement of superior workshop finish. The clock is regulated by a heavy brass pendulum, consistent with the robust construction one would expect from a respected Brighton maker and retailer operating at this level during the 1860s.
A refined and well-proportioned example of the Victorian drop dial wall clock, combining confident casework with a movement of commendable substance.
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