An Edwardian Art Nouveau silver and enamel timepiece, designed by Archibald Knox, for Liberty & Co., Birmingham, 1903

the shaped circular face enamelled in blues and green with the Latin phrase Festa Lente in place of numerals, the hands with blood orange enamelled stylised heart terminals, resting on an elongated rectangular column, chased with a stylised flowers, stamped 'CYMRIC' with various pattern numbers, French movement, key present

The Liberty Silver Sketch Book, Westminster City Archives, n.d., p.198, no. 5075

Liberty's 1875-1975, An Exhibition to Mark the Firm's Centenary, exh. cat., Victoria & Albert Museum, London 1975, p.62, no. D99B

Stephen A. Martin, Archibald Knox, London, 2001, p.237

Barbara Morris, Liberty Design, London, 1989, p.81

Vanessa Brett, The Sotheby's Directory of Silver 1600-1940, London, 1986, p. 318, no. 1514

Hallmarks clear to underside. Small bruises to two corners of the base, does not sit completely flat. Otherwise good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

An almost identical example, sold Sotheby's London (Belgravia), 22 April 1982, lot 211, £2,640. This model is enamelled in place of numerals with the Latin phrase 'Tempus Fugit' translating as Time Flies, while the present example is enamelled with the phrase 'Festina Lente', translating as Make Haste Slowly, or More Haste, Less Speed, when rendered in English. 

The only other exact example, according to Dr. Stephen Martin's book, Archibald Knox, appears to be in a private collection. He states that "no other silver clock designed by Knox more directly echoes the archetypal shape and power of the Manx crosses with its circular head balanced atop a more slender rectangular shaft than this present example". Furthermore he suggests that "the chased decoration on its body is similar to fabric designs executed in the pre-Liberty days when Knox was working at the Silver Studio of Design in the 1890's". 

The same model, with a different dial, sold in Sotheby's New York, Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Pre-War Design, 19 May 2015, lot 102, while another with classic Roman numerals sold, Sotheby's London (Belgravia), 1 April 1976, lot 127 (£935.)