233


231. AN EARLY 19TH MAHOGANY MARINE BAROMETER BY COX, LONDON


with ivory scales and top plate signed as per title, hinged thermometer guard panel, plain parallel shaft with gimbal and weight -- 39½in. (100cm.) high £1500-2000


232. AN 18TH-CENTURY FRENCH FRUITWOOD PERPETUAL CALENDAR DESK SEAL


the heptagon-sided shaft punched in five rows with dates, movable day-ring released by threaded mushroom handle, brass head engraved for ‘S’ -- 3½in. (9cm.) high


£200-400 233.


A FINE PORTABLE WRITING SLOPE WITH WATT-PATENT DOCUMENT COPYING ACCESSORY, C.1815


constructed in brass-bound mahogany with tooled leather writing slope, the reverse with paper stowage tray and winding arbor operating brass rollers and baize- covered press, the lid with inset plate engraved with coat of arms and motto Virtue Parta Tuemini [‘defend what is acquired by valor’] and initials ‘EHH’ -- 9 x 20 x 11½in. (23 x 51 x 29cm.)


Invented and developed by James Watt to save time in copying incessant correspondence between himself and Matthew Boulton, the system works by using special ink and semi- translucent paper. When pressed through the rollers, a copy is made which is read through the reverse. Carl Philipp Moritz describes seeing one of these in operation in his ‘Travels’, 1782. This lot is an elegant example of the earlier prototypes.


£800-1200 232


231 76


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