In its original mahogany and brass bound case with key. Serial number 2307 is engraved on the face and the matching serial number is set in a plaque on the exterior of the case which dates the chronometer to 1839. The face is engraved: Frodsham, Successor to Parkinson and Frodsham, Maker to the Admiralty, South Castle St., Liverpool. Resprung by Frodsham and Keen, Liverpool at a later date, 1885.
Marine Chronometers are a specialized timekeeping instrument designed for finding longitude at sea. Parkinson & Frodsham were makers of high quality chronometers, clocks and watches, established in 1801 by William James Frodsham (1778-1850) and William Parkinson (d. about 1842). The date of 1839 places the make of this piece around the date which it is recorded that Parkinson retired from the firm, which likely explains the successor notation on the face with both names remaining on the face and exterior of the piece.
Includes a later retailer label of E. Smola, Nautical Instruments and Compass Adjusters of Newport News and Norfork, VA.
