Leigh Extence

About

Leigh Extence

Leigh Extence comes from a long line of Devon antique dealers and originally trained as a clockmaker, before becoming manager of the Antique Clock department in Harrods, Knightsbridge.

He then moved to Kent to work as right-hand man to Derek Roberts, helping set up and catalogue their famed horological exhibitions as well as travelling extensively abroad as an ambassador for the business.

Media & Publications

In 1990 he set up his own business and, after a lecture tour in Switzerland, returned to Devon to open his showroom. He also acts as the horological consultant to local Exeter auctioneers.

For a number of years Leigh was the antique clock specialist on BBC2’s The Antiques Show, advising, writing scripts and featuring numerous times. He also contributes articles for a number of leading antiques magazines, newspapers & websites.

In 2023 Leigh helped co-host the 75th Anniversary conference of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he gave two lectures: One entitled Carriage Clocks from Around the World to coincide with the opening of the Carriage Clock exhibition at the association's museum and the second illustrating two carriage clocks, and Leigh's reserach, supplied by the renowned french carriage clock maker Alfred Drocourt, one a wedding present to Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Charles Dodgson's Alice in Wonderland, and the other a grande-sonnerie carriage clock given by Queen Victoria to her favoured godson Victor Biddulph in 1883.

Research

Leigh has a passion for research and has an extensive library of horological books, journals and papers.

For a number of years he has been undertaking in-depth research into the clocks and lives of the Parisian carriage clock maker Henri Jacot and his nephew Albert, along with their competitors Pierre & Alfred Drocourt and holds a large database of the clocks they produced.

Associations

In 2004 Leigh was elected a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and has since been promoted to the Livery.

As from February 2018 Leigh Extence has taken over the running of Derval Antiques, the business set up by internationally renowned dealer, author and consultant Derek Roberts, following Derek's retirement.

For further information visit the company website