| Height | 6 feet 10 inches (2080 mm) |
| Case | The case veneered in figured walnut onto an oak carcass with cross-grain mouldings. The formerly rising hood now sliding forwards, with a central finial on the later carved cresting above the main cornice moulding, with a frieze below inset with walnut sound frets. All above the matching walnut Solomonic columns with integral turned capitals and bases, flanking the dial aperture, with conforming quarter columns to the hood extensions at the rear. The hood supported by a shallow convex throat moulding above the long rectangular trunk door with book-matched figured veneers within the cross-grain half-round frame moulding, the sides with simple veneers laid front to back. The cross-grain cavetto/ovolo base moulding crowning the cross-banded plinth with conforming walnut veneers, all standing on four walnut bun feet. |
| Dial | The 9¾ inch (248 mm) square gilt-brass dial with winged cherubs head corner spandrels and signed along the lower edge Johannes Fromanteel, Londini. The silvered brass chapter ring with internal quarter division ring inside Roman hours and fleur-de-lys half-hour marks. The finely matted centre with shuttered winding holes and a well pierced and sculpted counterpoised blued steel hour hand, the dial fixed with four latched dial feet. |
| Movement | The movement with six knopped pillars latched to the frontplate and high set barrels; the going train with bolt-and-shutter maintaining power, anchor escapement and pallet access hole in the backplate, the pallet-arbor with squared-on brass crutch, the spring suspension hook with fine adjustment calibrated butterfly nut on a separate suspension cock above, carrying the 1¼ seconds pendulum; the strike train with an internal countwheel, cast into the greatwheel, and governing the hour strike on a large bell above. |
| Duration | 8 days |
| Provenance | Until c.1989, with Mrs Hitchcock, Canterbury; |
| Literature | Huygens’ Legacy, 2004, (illus.) p.154-5 |
| Escapement | Anchor with 1¼ seconds two-part iron rod pendulum |
| Strike Type | Hour countwheel cast onto the greatwheel |
| Exhibited | 2004, Holland, Paleis Het Loo, Huygens’ Legacy, exhibit no.56 |
Exhibit № 18. John Fromanteel, London, Circa 1675
An unusual and interesting Charles II walnut veneered eight day single-handed striking longcase clock with 1¼ seconds pendulum
£75,000
By this date, almost every longcase clock had a long pendulum and was accurate enough to show meaningful seconds, together with hour and minute hands. However, ‘old habits die hard’ and single-handed clocks continued to be made for many decades, but increasingly this was more often seen in the provinces. The large and loud bell found on this rare London example hints that its use was as much oral as visual, perhaps managing timings in a household, akin to early cathedral clocks without any dial, but whose bell regulated services and prayers. While the high quality execution of this clock belies its old-fashioned nature, and re-affirms the excellence of productions still emanating from the workshop that had pioneered horological advancement over the preceding 20 years.
The 8 day movement is controlled by an anchor escapement with a 1¼ seconds pendulum, befittingly regulated on a separate suspension cock above the backplate using a wing-nut and calibration disc. The countwheel, being cast direct onto the strike train greatwheel, provides insight into Fromanteel’s continuing drive for accuracy and cost reduction without compromising quality. There is no trade-off with the finish either; the dial has very fine matting and is fire-gilded to the visible areas, the signature engraving is typically superb, while the hand, although repaired, is also very finely sculpted, pierced and shaped.
Product Description
By this date, almost every longcase clock had a long pendulum and was accurate enough to show meaningful seconds, together with hour and minute hands. However, ‘old habits die hard’ and single-handed clocks continued to be made for many decades, but increasingly this was more often seen in the provinces. The large and loud bell found on this rare London example hints that its use was as much oral as visual, perhaps managing timings in a household, akin to early cathedral clocks without any dial, but whose bell regulated services and prayers. While the high quality execution of this clock belies its old-fashioned nature, and re-affirms the excellence of productions still emanating from the workshop that had pioneered horological advancement over the preceding 20 years.
The 8 day movement is controlled by an anchor escapement with a 1¼ seconds pendulum, befittingly regulated on a separate suspension cock above the backplate using a wing-nut and calibration disc. The countwheel, being cast direct onto the strike train greatwheel, provides insight into Fromanteel’s continuing drive for accuracy and cost reduction without compromising quality. There is no trade-off with the finish either; the dial has very fine matting and is fire-gilded to the visible areas, the signature engraving is typically superb, while the hand, although repaired, is also very finely sculpted, pierced and shaped.
Additional information
| Dimensions | 5827373 cm |
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