Collection of 60 clocks from former railway worker dating back 300 years go on sale

A remarkable hoard of 60 historic clocks, some dating back more than 300 years, is set to go up for auction.

They were discovered in the home of a former railway worker.

It took experts three days to carefully remove the entire collection, which spans from the late 17th century right through to the 20th.

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The unnamed collector, a railway worker by trade, spent years restoring and repairing clocks in his spare time – amassing everything from grand longcases to humble station timepieces.

Several of the treasures reflect his love of the railways, including station clocks from London, the Midlands and Devon.

The star of the sale is an 18th-century George III Chinoiserie tavern clock – also known as an “Act of Parliament” clock – expected to fetch between £1,500 and £2,000.

Many of the clocks still have their original parts, some stamped with the same registration number – a rare find, as reported by What’s The Jam.

Expert Barnaby Willis, who catalogued the extraordinary haul, said: “This was clearly a massive passion for the collector, with so many superb examples of clocks and barometers plus an extensive assortment of parts and tools, including lathes, drills and precision tools.

“He was so invested in his hobby that he became an at-home horologist, amassing not just clocks and barometers but also horology-based parts, equipment and tools.

“It’s been an absorbing process to go through everything, and I’m sure there will be plenty of interest.”

A spokesperson for Chilcotts Auctioneers and Valuers of Honiton, Devon, added: “There are some fine examples of mantel, longcase, and wall clocks.

“Several clocks come from his love for the railways, such as station clocks from London, the Midlands, and, more locally, Barnstaple.

“Most of these still retain their original parts, stamped with the same registration number, a rarity with clocks of this age, including a late nineteenth-century drop-dial wall clock from South Molton Street Station, London W1.

“The highest value clock is an eighteenth-century George III Chinoiserie tavern or ‘Act of Parliament’ clock standing over five feet tall, estimated at between £1,500 and £2,000.

“The name comes from an unpopular, short-lived 1797 tax on clocks and watches, which meant people had to rely on public wall clocks.

“These clocks typically have a large dial with Roman numerals to be easily seen from a distance, and a long pendulum.”

Also up for grabs are 20 full longcase clocks and a number of West Country-made timepieces, along with two 19th-century ‘Admiral Fitzroy’ barometers.

Admiral Fitzroy, who founded the Met Office in 1860, famously used barometers to predict storms – creating the world’s first daily weather forecasts.

The timeless collection will go under the hammer at Chilcotts, Honiton, on Saturday (15 Nov).

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