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Houses Give Up Their Secrets

First, a Winchester house gave up a remarkable rare and potentially valuable table clock with a curious trefoil-shaped dial and an unusual revolving celestial globe. By London scientific instrument maker Richard Glynne, it will be sold in Ewbank Clarke Gammon Wellers important Winter sale of fine art, antiques and collectors' items on Wednesday December 9 and already horologists are humming with interest.

According to family tradition, the clock was inherited through the Bohn family of Hull and through earlier connections from the Boleyns. Now, following further research on the Bohn family, it appears that three rare and important books found in the same Winchester home are from the library of Henry George Bohn (1796-1884) one of London's foremost antiquarian booksellers of his time. Prior to that, the three volumes which comprise the Monasticon Anglicanum, were owned by Christopher Townley (1604-74) and his nephew (Richard Townley (1629-1707) leading scientists and philosophers of their day.

By William Dugdale and Roger Dodsworth, the three volumes, written in Latin, were published in 1655, 1659 and 1673 respectively. Whilst volumes one and two are often found together, it is much rarer for the third volume to be found with them because many copies of this volume were destroyed in a fire at the printers.

Christopher and Richard Towneley were members of the Catholic gentry from Towneley in Lancashire. The former is known as an antiquary but also had an interest in scientific research, particularly astronomy. He befriended a number of the northern astronomers, including Jeremiah Horrocks, William Crabtree, William Gascoigne and John Stephenson, and collected their papers. Richard Towneley, working with other local collaborators, conducted experiments into the relationship between air pressure and volume which became known as Boyle's Law. He also perfected the micrometer and was a pioneer of meteorology.

All three volumes are signed with ownership details by both Richard and Christopher Towneley and have Richard Towneley book-plates dated 1702. There is also a signed inscription pasted in to the front of Volume Three, which reads:"The three vols in Folios of Dugdales Monasticon Anglicanum are the property of Mr Townley of Townley of Lancashire and are to be sent to him with care in case of my death, J Clayton, Breadsal December 22nd 1773". This confirms that the books had remained within the family for 100 years.

How they were acquired by the Bohn family is not known, although of Henry Bohn's early career, a report in the Daily Graphic dated July 10 1909 states that "while Napoleon was ravaging the Continent, whole libraries were being dispersed by ancient families and religious institutions lest they should fall into the Emperor's hands and many treasures were picked up this way by the Anglo-German bookseller. ..... He happened to be attending an auction at Leipzig while the Battle of Waterloo was being fought."

Bohn was born in London, the son of a German bookbinder who had settled in England. In 1831, he started as a dealer in rare books and "remainders." In 18441, he issued his "Guinea" catalogue of books, a monumental work containing 23,208 items. Bohn was noted for his book auctions: one held in 1848 lasted four days, the catalogue comprising 20 folio pages. Printed on this catalogue was the information to buyers: "Dinner at 2 o'clock, dessert at 4, tea at 5, and supper at 10." His Libraries, which he inaugurated, were begun in 1846 and comprised editions of standard works and translations, dealing with history, science, classics, theology and archaeology, consisting in all of 766 volumes.

It had been one of Bohn's ambitions to found a great publishing house, but, finding that his sons had no taste for the trade, he sold the Libraries in 1864 to Messrs. Bell and Daldy, afterwards G. Bell & Sons. Bohn was a man of wide culture and many interests. He himself made considerable contributions to his Libraries, collecting pictures, china and ivories, and was a famous rose-grower. He died at Twickenham on August 22 1884 and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery.

The Daily Graphic states: " His advice was often sought by such great Collectors as the Duke of Hamilton 'Vathek' Beckford and on more than one occasion, he was consulted on everyday matters by the Prince Consort. He was chairman of the committee appointed for the printed books department of the 1851 Exhibition. Gladstone who had a high opinion of Bohn's abilities, offered him a baronetcy but we are told that the publisher declined the honour on principle. Bohn tired of his success in 1864 when his sons preferred other professions to following in this footsteps and sold the whole stock and copyrights of his libraries to Messers Bell and Dalby for about £40,000........His second-hand books which subsequently took forty days to dispose of at various auction rooms realised £13,000." The three-volume Monasticon is estimated at £1,500-2,500.

The sale includes several more books from the Bohn family including works on natural history; English and Scottish history; ancient British architecture; British coinage; antiquities; heraldry; Anna Sewell's Black Beauty illustrated by Cecil Aldin and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, by A Bichard. Estimates range from £40-300.

Another important clock in the sale, consigned following publicity surrounding the discovery of the Richard Glynne clock, is by the important London Victorian maker W. Vasel, and is known as a strut clock. This derives its name from the rear pivoted strut support first designed and popularised by the great Victorian carriage clockmaker Thomas Cole (1800-1864). Cole first conceived the idea in the mid 19th century and the clocks were the mainstay of his business until his death in 1864. They gained their popularity from their flatness, or thinness, as they were more portable than the square bulk of traditional carriage clocks.

The clock's case is profusely engraved with scrolling foliage and has a silvered dial with floral engraving, and subsidiary dials for day and date. The Swiss movement is marked "Doxa" and is marked internally "W Vasel London". It was owned formerly by H J Morgan, a motor racing aficionado who lived in London's Montague Square, before moving to Godalming in Surrey a few years before his death. It is being sold by a member of his family who inherited it.

Mr Morgan was the co-founder and owner of 'The Steering Wheel Club' in London's Mayfair. He was Vice-President British Automobile Racing Club (B.A.R.C.), Hon. Secretary of the British Motor Racing Circuit Owners Association 1962-1979; a Life Hon. Member of the British Racing Drivers' Club (B.R.D.C.); secretary of the Order of The Road 1946-1979, followed by Director & Hon. Treasurer 1979-1990; Vice-President & Life Hon. Member Guild of Motoring Writers  and Life Hon. Member Brooklands Society.

He joined the staff of the Junior Car Club (J.C.C) in 1925, becoming Assistant. Secretary in 1934, General Secretary 1937-1962, Council Member 1962-1972, & Vice-President 1972-1990. The Junior Car Club subsequently became the British Automobile Racing Club.

He was Clerk of The Course at Brooklands Motor-Racing Circuit from 1937-1939 and an official at most of the main B.A.R.C. events until the circuit closed in 1939. He was also Clerk of The Course at all J.C.C. Brooklands meetings 1937-1939 and also officiated at races at Donington Park, Crystal Palace, Goodwood, and at Aintree for the British Grand Prix held there. The clock is estimated at £3,000-5,000.

Another house to give up its secret was a property in Rowtown, Surrey, whose new owners were left to clear when the previous occupants, an elderly couple, decided to sell up, downsize and move out. Pots, pans and general household detritus were discarded but in the attic, leaning against a wall, was a painting, signed on the back and dated 1994.

"I turned it round and the picture looked like something from kindergarten," said the vendor, who asked not to be named. "The name Terry Frost didn't mean anything to me but when I looked him up on the Internet there was all sorts of information about him. I had no idea he is so important." The acrylic paint and collage abstract picture on canvas is titled "St Ives Harbour" and is estimated at £2,000-3,000.

Sir Terry Frost (1915-2003) was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. He first began to paint as a prisoner of war and used his ex-serviceman's grant to enroll at Camberwell School of Art, London. He subsequently taught at the Bath Academy of Art at Corsham Court from 1952, and was the Gregory Fellow at Leeds University from 1954 to 1956, teaching at Leeds School of Art from 1956 to 1957. He was made Artist in Residence at the Fine Art Department of Newcastle University in 1964, became a full time lecturer at the Department of Fine Art, Reading University 1965, and went on to become Professor of Painting at the University of Reading from 1977 to 1981.

His first one-man show was held at the Leicester Galleries in 1952. He continued to exhibit regularly in London and internationally, while a major retrospective was held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London in 2000. He was elected a Royal Academician in 1992 and received a knighthood in 1998.

The sale also includes a collection of signed, limited edition abstract prints by Sir Terry Frost with estimates ranging from £300 to 600, together with artist's and studio proof prints by Sandra Blow (1925-2006) which are estimated at £300-500.

Pick of the pieces among antique silver is a William IV two-handled cup, decorated appropriately with horse-drawn chariots and classical figures, which in 1858 was presented as the Tarporley Hunt Cup in Tarporley, Cheshire. The trophy was made by Irish silversmith James le Bass in Dublin in 1832-33, and bears an inscription of the winner's name, James Platt, and his horse "Welsh Heiress".

Under the patronage of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster, who entertained lavishly on the course and at Eaton Hall, the annual Tarporley Hunt Steeplechases, always held on a Wednesday in April, attracted large crowds. Many arrived by special train at Beeston Castle station on the London and North-Western line, and were then conveyed to the course in a variety of horse-drawn vehicles. The trophy is estimated at £1,200-1,800.

In green and black London and North Eastern Railway livery is a splendid scratch-built live steam 3½-inch gauge locomotive and six-wheel tender, which is nearly four feet long. The pride of the collector's items on offer, it is estimated at £1,000-1,500.

In furniture, a 19th century walnut and parquetry inlaid break front credenza the central door inset with a panel inlaid with a bouquet of flowers flanked by two glazed doors, applied figural gilt metal mounts is estimated at £1,500-2,500, while in contrast, a vernacular 17th century country oak buffet is estimated at £1,200-1,800. The three-tiered buffet is monogrammed CW and NW, possibly relating to a marriage, and dated 1682.

The sale is on view on Saturday December 5 from 10am-2pm; Monday December 7 from 10am-5pm; Tuesday December 8 from 10am-8pm and on the morning of the sale from 9.30-10. The fully illustrated catalogue will available one week before the auction for viewing online on the auctioneer's newly redesigned website at www.ewbankauctions.co.uk. For further information, please contact the auctioneers on 01483 223101.