A George Prior Turkish market musical clock dated to the last quarter of the 18th century, £30,000 at Roseberys.
The London clockmaker George Prior (1735-1814) was one of the leading figures in this Anglo-Turkish export trade. His success was such that the word coined by the Turks for a British-made timepiece, Pyrol, is a derivative of his name.
On September 27, Roseberys (26/25/20% buyer’s premium) offered this example of a Prior Turkish market musical clock dated to the last quarter of the 18th century. Although Prior is known to have purchased his movements from Thwaites and Reed and also Spencer and Perkins, the clock is signed George Prior London to the backplate and the enamel dial.
Typical of these ‘made for export’ products, the 2ft 2in (67cm) high elaborate architectural case is painted with polychrome flowers on a green ground and features a cut glass facetted dome. It was sold in south London at the lower end of an estimate of £30,000-50,000.
