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A fine William and Mary period walnut and marquetry 8-day longcase clock. (c. 1695 London)
Reference no. 92449
Description / Expertise
JOHN DREW LONDINI FECIT
A fine William & Mary period 8-Day longcase clock. The case is constructed primarily of oak and veneered with walnut and panels of bird and floral marquetry against an ebony ground. The cross-grain mouldings are in walnut. Standing on bun feet the clock retains its original base and there is a giltwood lenticle to the trunk door. The hood with front opening door is flanked by ebonised barley twist columns and there is a delicate walnut sound fret set below the cornice.
The 11 inch square brass dial is mounted with cherub and foliate spandrels, silvered chapter ring and subsidiary seconds ring. The dial centre is finely matted with ringed winding holes and an aperture to view the day of the month. The dial plate has delicate foliate engraving between the spandrels and the chapter ring is signed by the maker between VII and V. The blued steel hands are finely pierced and faceted.
The high quality 8-Day duration movement has five pillars and the wheel work appears original throughout. The hours are sounded on a bell via an outside locking plate.
Date: circa 1695-1700
Height: 80 ½ in (205 cm)
* John Drew was apprenticed to the famous maker Joseph Knibb in 1675 and freed in September 1684. The fine movement of this clock has a number of distinctive Knibb features; viz the large going great wheel, the pierced countwheel, concave turnings on the barrel arbors, a single double screwed backcock, the pallet arbor with the crutch block morticed on to it and the small domed bell.
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