Antique Heavy Brass Missal Stand Book Holder - Made In Melbourne by T. Gaunt

Antique Heavy Brass Missal Stand Book Holder - Made In Melbourne by T. Gaunt

$475.00

Tax includedShipping calculated at checkout


Condition: Used

Please see below for more condition details

Sold Out
Antique Heavy Brass Missal Stand Book Holder - Made In Melbourne by T. Gaunt

Catholic Missal Stand - Brass Book Stand - Brass Book Holder. It's a real challenge dating this piece - our best guess is around c1900 but it could vary wildly from that. The maker, Thomas Gaunt (1829 - 1890) was a prominent catholic in Melbourne and his company were renowned makers of ecclesiastical ornaments. Whether this piece dates back to Thomas' times or is a more modern piece is for you to determine. It's clearly a beautiful item and the maker is stated on the base as shown. The Gaunt company continued long after Thomas' death finally closing up in 1960.

"Thomas Ambrose Gaunt (1829 - 5 June 1890) was a jeweller, clockmaker, and manufacturer of scientific instruments, whose head office and showroom were at 337-339 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Gaunt was born in London and emigrated to the colony of Victoria in 1852 and first worked for Henry Newman. By 1858 he had opened a shop in 14 Little Bourke Street. Around 1869 he moved to new premises at 337-339 Bourke Street, at the Royal Arcade corner. He gained a reputation for reliability: each morning he set the main chronometer at the Bourke Street premises by telegraph signal from the Melbourne Observatory. He built the chronograph used for timing races at Flemington Racecourse, and was appointed their official timekeeper. In November 1876 he was made a life member of the Victorian Racing Club, though he had little interest in the sport. In 1885 he built and patented an electric scratching board system which ensured that notification of scratchings was made simultaneously throughout the course as soon as notified to the secretary.

A great many watches and clocks had the Gaunt name on the dial face and many public clocks were manufactured by the company but it is likely that the number of watches and small clocks produced by the company was small. Scientific instruments produced by the company included kymographs, thermographs, thermohygrographs and the like, as well as mercury-in-glass barometers and thermometers. They also manufactured gold and silver devotional jewellery and ecclesiastical ornaments, notably for St Patrick's Cathedral. Gaunt was a prominent Catholic. "

Light wear and some buffing scratches in the brass when captured in the right light at the right angle. A heavy piece weighing in at 4.34kg (9.57lbs). There are a couple of minor dints to the lower portion of the stand. Good to very good condition overall.

Measures 31cm wide x 31cm tall x 18cm deep approx.

Categories:

  • General Items
  • Other

    • PRODUCT DETAILS


    Condition: Used
    Binding:
    Special Attributes:
    Region:
    Subject:
    Original/Facsimile:
    Seller Notes: Light wear and some buffing scratches in the brass when captured in the right light at the right angle. A heavy piece weighing in at 4.34kg (9.57lbs). There are a couple of minor dints to the lower portion of the stand. Good to very good condition overall.
    Language:
    Author:
    Publisher:
    Year Printed:
    Sub-subject: