An Exceptional Early English Fusee Carriage Clock Attributed to Thomas & James Ferguson Cole London, circa 1833–1838 An exceptional early English fusee carriage clock, attributable to Thomas Cole and his brother James Ferguson Cole, two of the most important and innovative English clockmakers of the nineteenth century. Although unsigned by the brothers themselves, this clock can be confidently attributed on stylistic, technical, and constructional grounds, as documented by John Hawkins in The Hawkins Pictorial Survey of Cole Clocks, Part I. This example represents a Phase I, Type I Cole carriage clock, placing it among the very earliest surviving carriage clocks produced by the Cole brothers. The design and engraving are characteristic of Thomas Cole, while the movement is the work of his elder brother James Ferguson Cole, whose bespoke mechanisms are widely regarded as technically superior and highly individual. The clock is fitted with an eight-day single-chain fusee movement with English lever escapement, the backplate numbered 2020. Hawkins illustrates an almost identical backplate on p. 400. Of particular importance is the distinctive reinforcing bridge to the mainspring, a hallmark of early James Ferguson Cole movements. This bridging system was designed to provide additional strength and depth to the mainspring in these miniature fusee clocks and is a key diagnostic feature dating the movement to circa 1833–1838. As noted by J. B. Hawkins, the retailer’s signature and numbering were engraved into the available space on the completed movement, indicating that this work was carried out after the clock had left the Cole workshop. The backplate is signed for the retailer “Lattey Brothers & Co., London & Calcutta,” a firm known to have operated between 1842 and 1855, confirming that the retail signature was added some years after manufacture. The movement is housed in a finely engraved gilt brass case, stamped 109 to the underside. The case is a classic Thomas Cole Phase I Type I design, featuring richly engraved panels, concave faceted corner columns, and a layered plate construction typical of the brothers’ collaborative period. The top incorporates a glazed porthole allowing the balance to be viewed, along with the original faceted handle with scroll supports and ball finials—elements described by Hawkins as standard early Cole design features. The sides are engraved with the distinctive Ho-Ho bird motif, an important decorative signature of Thomas Cole, illustrated in Hawkins (see p. 327). The screws passing through the feet are another recognised feature of early Cole carriage clocks. The inset silvered dial is of classic Cole form, with finely engraved rococo and floral decoration, black Roman numerals, and a finely engraved gilt mask. The clock retains its original Breguet-style blued steel “moon” hands, a further indicator of James Ferguson Cole’s involvement. This dial type appears repeatedly across documented Cole examples in the Hawkins survey. The Cole brothers worked together during this early period following James Ferguson Cole’s financial difficulties, supplying clocks to leading retailers including Garrard, James McCabe, Arnold & Dent, and Hunt & Roskell. Their partnership continued until 1848 and produced some of the most technically sophisticated and aesthetically refined English carriage clocks of the period. Thomas Cole was celebrated for his originality, fine metalwork, and exceptional engraving, receiving international recognition at major exhibitions including the Great Exhibition of 1851 and the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1855. His designs influenced many contemporaries, though few matched the quality and refinement of his work. This is a rare and highly important early Cole carriage clock, combining documented technical innovation with superb engraving and original features, and representing the brothers’ formative collaboration at its very best. Https://www.jbhawkinsantiques.com/the-hawkins-pictorial-survey-of-cole-clocks/ Dimensions: Height: 5.25 in (13 cm) Width: 3.875 in (9.7 cm) Depth: 3.375 in (8.4 cm)