Miniature Bracket Clock By Elkington & Co

A very small and charming bracket or mantel clock in a carved mahogany case with an engraved silvered roman dial. The eight day movement strikes the hours on a gong, with an associated mahogany wall bracket.

A mantel clock by Elkington & Co can be found in the Royal Collection, having previously been owned by Queen Mary.

The firm Elkington & Co. is one of the most important names associated with the production of silver plate and decorative objects in England in the 19th century. Formed as a silversmith in Birmingham in 1836, the business was the creation of its founder George Richards Elkington (1800-1865) who although initially trained as a maker of silver-mounted scent bottles, progressed his career with experiments to improve gilding techniques. By the late 1830's Elkington began to apply the principals of electro-metallurgy to gilding and plating with silver and by 1838 he had discovered and patented a new way to bond silver onto the surface of another metal using electricity. The firm of Elkington rapidly went into the full-scale production of silver electroplated wares and received all important financial backing from Josiah Mason in 1842 to the extent that the first was known as Elkington, Mason and Co. between 1842 and 1861. As well as marketing all types of electro-plated wares, a lucrative market for recreating famous works of art in metal as well as new ones was developed as these casts were cheaper than bronze casts. By the mid 1840's the Art Journal was praising the quality of Elkington's pieces and their success was sealed at the 1851 Great Exhibition with the help of their two most famous designers, the French nationals Albert Wilhms (1827-1899) and Morel-Ladeuil (1820-1888) who exhibited several elaborate and costly exhibition pieces. Elkington also held Royal Warrants from Queen Victoria, King Edward VI, King George V and King George VI. Works by Elkington & Co. may be found in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

28cm H x 18cm W x 13.5cm D (without bracket)