A FINE GILT BRASS EIGHT-DAY CHRONOMETER CARRIAGE TIMEPIECETHOMAS MERCER, ST, ALBANS, NO. 1210, 1974The gilt four pillar single chain fee eight-day movement with spotted plates, Harrison's maintaining power and jewelled Earnshaw-type spring detent platform escapement regulated by split metallic balance with cylindrical timing weights and palladium helical balance spring, the tapered silvered brass Roman numeral dial measuring 4.75 inches high and 4.5 inches wide at the top with subsidiary seconds dial and WIND, UP/DOWN indicator to centre, blued steel spade hands and signed Thomas Mercer to upper margin, the tapered rectangular brhed-gilt bevel-glazed case with hinged rectilinear carrying handle over glazed escapement aperture to top, plain angled uprights and side glasses, the rear with fixed gilt panel incorporating escapement START/STOP lever, hand setting knob, winding square and inscription THOMAS MERCER, ST ALBANS, ENGLAND, ESTABLISHED 1858 over serial number 1210 to lower edge, on canted skirt base incorporating bracket feet with shallow arched recesses between; with original substantial leather protective travelling case, winder and paperwork including purchase receipt dated 25th March 1974.The clock 16cm (6.25ins) high with handle down, 14cm (5.5ins) wide, 8.5cm (3.375ins) deep.Provenance: Purchased direct from Thomas Mercer by Lawrance Hurst, 25th March 1974.Thomas Mercer was born in Saint Helen's, Lancashire in November 1822. He was apprenticed to his grandfather William Walker, a watchmaker in St. Helen's, and then went on to work for the esteemed Liverpool watch maker Thomas Rsell. He travelled to London in 1851 lodging in Clerkenwell - the hub of the London horological trade. Thomas Mercer obtained employment from the chronometer maker John Fletcher before setting up on his own at Newton Street in 1858 before relocating to Spencer Street in around 1860. By 1871 Mercer had moved to St. Albans and although he retained premises in London he operated his main workshop from a building on Prospect Road. Mercer entered chronometers for numero Greenwich trials throughout the third quarter of the 19th century (where they were often placed in the top three) as well as exhibiting at many of the international exhibitions, including Paris 1867 where he was awarded a silver medal. Thomas Mercer died in Paris 1900 whilst serving as a judge for the Grand Exhibition; his body was repatriated by the French Navy for burial at St. Stephen's Church, St. Albans.The biness continued under Mercer's eldest son of the same name and evolved during the first quarter of the 20th century to be one of the most prolific makers of chronometers supplying many other makers with movements as well as selling under their own name. The First World War also required the biness to maintain significant output in their production. In 1935 Thomas Mercer junior died and the biness was passed to his son Frank. During the Second World War Mercers supplied 2,000