Rare British clock gifted to Chinese royals up for auction

An 18th-century British clock, once kept at a Chinese royal court, is among a dozen antiquities that will be sold at a night auction on Monday in Beijing.

At a height of 1.02 meters, the gilded-bronze chime clock exemplifies British clock-making techniques during the reign of George III (1738-1820). The timepiece, manufactured by craftsman Peter Torckler around 1780, was custom-made to meet the artistic demands of a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) royal court.

The clock, which will go under the hammer in Poly Auction's saleroom, features both an intricate appearance and complicate design.