Scarce 10” English Fusee Dial Timepiece by Thomas Armstrong & Brother

A scarce 10” dial single chain fusee wall timepiece, by famous English makers, Thomas Armstrong & Brother of Deansgate, Manchester. • Hand-turned roundhead Mahogany face and deep boxed cabinet. (The extended depth of the box would suggest that it was originally made for railway sector use). • 2 x hinged inspection doors located on each side of the box. • Turn-catch hinged regulator door at the bottom of the box. • Original 10” metal dial with black Roman numerals and the Armstrong brothers’ details. • Original pair of blued spade hands, secured with a pinned collet. • Thick glaze mounted in a brass bezel, incorporating a canted silvered brass fillet to the interior. (Note: The extended box depth of this 10” dial clock, would suggest it was originally made for railway sector use). • High-quality 8-day chain driven single fusee movement. • Turned pillars and rectangular plates with the famous “Peerless” trade mark of horological engineer Mathias Bauerle and serial numbered ‘189412J’. • Comes with a 70mm diameter pendulum bob and a brass winding key. This famous watch and clockmaking family business was founded at 88 Deansgate in 1825 by Joseph Armstrong (born 1801) and 2 of his 13 children, followed him into his Deansgate business - Thomas Armstrong (1829-91) and George Booth Armstrong (1836-91). On their father’s retirement in c1858, these two brothers then formed a partnership from the 88 Deansgate premises, changing the name of the business to ‘Thomas Armstrong & Brother’ and by 1860, opening a second retail outlet at 80 Deansgate, Manchester. With this additional retail space, the brothers also extending their product offering into jewellery and optical supplies and services. Thomas (born Jan 1829 at 88 Deansgate) was the eldest son of Joseph, and a clockmaker, jeweller, silversmith, and optician by profession. He was responsible the directing the optical department of the business and moved residence at several times throughout his life, from 88 Deansgate (where in 1861, he shared the residential part of the premises with his own family and brother George), to his death aged 62 in 1891 when he was living at Crofts Bank Road, in the affluent Urmston area, west of Manchester’s city centre. George (born 1836), was a watch, clockmaker and optician and oversaw the clock and watch department of the business and was responsible for the 1879 directory advertisement that stated they could provide; “…timepieces for everyday use, factory clocks, electrically regulated clocks, public building clocks and could provide details of their yearly clock-winding service.” Like his older brother, George moved residence on several occasion throughout his life, eventually living at 4 Claremont Road, Sale where he passed away in 1891. During their professional lives together, the brothers earned a worldwide reputation for producing high quality timepieces and Kew Observatory ‘Class A’ Certificate marine chronometers, winning many notable awards and commendations at internationally important exhibitions for horological innovation and workmanship, and this fine 10” dial wall clock pays testament to that heritage. Sold with further research including photographs of the brothers and their father, plus images of two of their Deansgate, Manchester retail outlets.