*An unusual George III mahogany and burr elm domestic striking regulator of one week duration wit

*An unusual George III mahogany and burr elm domestic striking regulator of one week duration with centre seconds. Alexander Cumming, Inveraray, late 18th century. The substantial five pillar rack striking movement with deadbeat escapement, bolt-and-shutter maintaining power and six wheel going train, the backplate with aperture cut for the pallets and with wood-rod pendulum with heavy brass faced lenticular bob, the 12 inch square single sheet silvered brass Roman numeral dial with blued steel hands and signed Ale:r Cumming INVERARAY to an arched cartouche to centre within chapter ring with Arabic five minutes to outer track and fine scallop shell inhabited foliate scroll engraved decoration to spandrels, in a case with moulded cornice and turned columns to hood above burr elm veneered panel inset break-arch door to trunk, on plinth base veneered with conforming rectangular panel, on bracket feet, 207cm (81.5ins) high. Alexander Cumming was born circa 1732 and was working with his brother, John, in Inveraray by 1752. He was a founder member of the Scottish Royal Society in Edinburgh and by 1761 he had moved to London. Cumming was subsequently appointed as an `expert` by Act of Parliament to assess Harrison`s marine timekeepers, and in 1763 supplied the first ever recording barometer to George III which is still in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace. In 1766 he published The Elements of Clock and Watch Work, he died in 1814. The current lot is an interesting early example of Cumming`s work and is perhaps a little experimental in nature. The six-wheel going train is unusual and was perhaps designed to remove errors in relation to its interaction with the strike train by delivering a high degree of power through the motionwork.