A very rare second quarter of the 20th century gilt brass astronomical mantel clock with calendarCharles Frodsham, 27, South Molton Street, LondonThe large foliate finial on a swept and ribbed pagoda-type top over red silk-backed pierced side grills, to a swept base on foliate feet. The signed 3.5 inch white enamel dial with black Arabic and blue Roman numerals, with good original pierced and engraved gilt hands, surmounted by twin subsidiaries giving days of the week and date, centred by a spherical 'Halifax Moon' protruding in a recess, the orb partially gilt on a blue ground and rotating to represent the phase of the moon, with regulation lever above XII, all within a frosted engraved gilt mask. The high quality twin chain fusee movement with thick plates united by ringed pillars, all wheels of five crossings, the going train with Harrison's maintaining power and large platform with overcoiled blued steel spring to a lever escapement and cut and compensated bimetallic balance, the rack striking sounding the full hours on the hour and a single blow at the half past. The moon is driven from the centre arbor via three wheels and a bevel gear. Running and striking. 33cms (13ins) high.Footnotes:The number of this remarkable clock dates it to circa 1927 (with thanks to Richard Stenning of Frodshams for confirming this) the mid-late 1920s and may well have been a private commission from the firm. At the time, Frodshams were perhaps the finest clockmakers working in London. A 1911 advertisement reproduced in Mercer, T. (1981) The Frodshams The Story of a Family Chronometer Makers. Kent: The Antiquarian Horological Society, plate 48 advises that as well as Fine English Watches, they sell 'Reproductions of Louis XV and XVI clocks - he frontplate of the movement is stamped with the initials JM and the number 9005.