Comitti of London

Comitti of London is a British company which designs and manufactures handcrafted timepieces.

Comitti of London was founded in 1845 by Onorato Comitti, an Italian precision instrument maker who moved to England,[1] and started a business designing and manufacturing barometers.[2]

Onorato Comitti opened his first workshop in 1850 alongside other specialist makers in Clerkenwell, London. He produced a number of recording instruments, including mercury and aneroid barometers. Comitti attempted to copyright the text on the face of one of his newly designed barometers, but was turned down, and the resulting court case is used as an example in books about copyright law.[3][4]

During the late Victorian period that company expanded its line to include clocks,[5] receiving the Diploma of Honour for the company’s workmanship in 1888.

In 1903 the company's premises were destroyed by fire.[6]

For Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, Comitti created an architectural floor clock with an English regulator movement,[7] now in Buckingham Palace.[8][9]

At 2015 Comitti remains a family-owned business, run by the fifth generation. It continues to manufacture traditional luxury timepieces.[10][11] Some of the company's older designs have become collector's items.[12]

References
  1. Edwin Banfield (1993). The Italian Influence on English Barometers from 1780. Baros. ISBN 978-0-948382-07-9.
  2. Nicholas Goodison (1977). English Barometers 1680-1860: A History of Domestic Barometers and Their Makers and Retailers. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 978-0-902028-52-4.
  3. Law Times, the Journal and Record of the Law and Lawyers. Office of The Law times. 1885. pp. 227–.
  4. Walter Shirley Shirley (1888). A Selection of Leading Cases in the Common Law. Blackstone Publishing Company. pp. 320–.
  5. John Culme (2000). The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths, Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914: From the London Assay Office Registers. The marks. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 978-0-907462-46-0.
  6. The Photographic Dealer and D. & P. Trade Review ... Photographic Dealer Limited. 1903.
  7. "Amazing Metal Work In Silver And Gold". The Slow Furniture Movement.
  8. "TRENDS: Alternative materials in watch design" Archived 2015-11-21 at the Wayback Machine. Watch Pro, by Kathryn Bishop
  9. "THE LUXURY OF TIME" Archived 2015-05-20 at the Wayback Machine. Preferred Magazine, by Nicole Gambino • January 7, 2015
  10. "Asprey sees clocks sales soar". The Telegraph
  11. "Family-run jewelry store in Old Greenwich still a gem". Greenwich Time, Ann Caron, March 20, 2014
  12. Hands on at Carlton Clocks". Magazine Chorleywood, February 1, 2015
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