Henry Frodsham

A small Liverpool ship's chronometer with 56h power reserve

Sold

estimated

1.700—3.000 €

Price realized

2.400 €

specific features

Case

Mahogany.

Dial

Silvered.

Movement

Small brass movement, 57 mm, chain/fusee, inner brass case, spring detent escapement according to Thomas Earnshaw, bimetallic chronometer balance with 2 weights and 4 screws.

Diam.165 x 160 x 165 mm

Circa1850

Ctry.England

A fine little ship's chronometer not by Charles, but by Henry Frodsham, "late Parkinson & Frodsham, Liverpool", another of William James Frodsham's many sons. He was apprenticed to Parkinson & Frodsham in London and then moved to Liverpool, where he took over Parkinson & Frodsham's business around 1835, making chronometers and nautical instruments.
The owner of this superbly preserved chronometer in its beautiful, elaborate mahogany case was Harry Campbell Graef, whose family lived on the estate called Gracemere in Tarrytown, a small town just up the Hudson River north of New York. There are probably still remains of the magnificent "Gracemere Hall" from the middle of the 19th century as well as a dilapidated house from later times.