Joseph Sewill, 61 South Castle Liverpool. VERS 1866

On request

Joseph Sewill, 61 South Castle Liverpool. CIRCA 1866.
Maker to the Admiralty. Marine chronometer. Dial (diameter 12 cm) with power reserve indication from 56 hours to noon, seconds at 6 o'clock. Hour index with Roman numerals, the “railroad” minutes. Numbered 5791. Brass. In its mahogany box. Dimensions: 19 x 18.5 x 17 cm. With key and document from F. Smith & Son, Oxford street - Southampton.
With two award medal award cartouche panels for 1862 and 1867.
In perfect working order.

High precision timekeeper whose balance is made insensitive to pitch and roll by its mounting in a damping system which varies according to the designers. These clocks were the subject of all rivalries in the 18th century, between France and England mainly, because only a reliable time can determine longitude; thus offering ships the possibility of returning to the same sea route each time. Each of the two nations launched in 1714 a richly endowed competition, a veritable technological war with its share of spies, kidnappings and murders. The Englishman Harrison built his first marine chronometer in 1718 but had to scrap metal until 1764 to finally get the prize. By 1761 his Timekeeper No.4 chronometer had varied by only five seconds in 161 days at sea and gave the maritime supremacy to England.
Ref : 0069
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