THOMAS MERCER, ST. ALBANS. A MID 20TH CENTURY EIGHT-DAY MARINE CHRONOMETER the brass gimballed drum-shaped case enclosing a 5" matt silvered engraved dial with subsidiary seconds and power reserve, signed and numbered. The high-quality eight-day chain-driven fusee movement with chequered plates and ring-turned pillars, Harrison maintaining and bimetallic weighted balance wheel with Earnshaw type detent escapement; all fitted in the original mahogany case with tipsy winding key (21cm high, 21cm wide, 21.5cm deep)

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.