Exhibit № 32. Jonathan Puller, London, Circa 1693

Exhibit № 32. Jonathan Puller, London, Circa 1693

An exceedingly rare William and Mary miniature full grande-sonnerie striking and repeating ebony table clock, influenced by Knibb and Tompion

Jonathan Puller, London (c.1662-c.1707) was probably born before 1662; we know he was apprenticed to Nicholas Coxeter in 1676 and was then passed over to John Miller, probably on Coxeter’s death in 1679. He was made Free of the Clockmakers’ Company in September 1683, and was based at Red Lion Court, off Fleet Street. Over the next 24 years he is recorded as having employed eight apprentices. He was made Assistant in 1701 and attended Court until 1707, when it is presumed that he died.

The proportions and styling of this case are of classic Knibb Phase III type, perhaps indicating that Puller ordered it from Joseph Knibb’s casemaker. This similarity is not a result of plagiarism but more likely to do with contacts and connections and the explanation may lie with Puller’s own master, John Miller (c.1652-1702). Miller was apprenticed to Samuel Knibb in January 1666/7 and on Samuel’s death in c.1670, he was turned over first to Isaac Pusse (or Puzy) and then again to Samuel’s cousin, Joseph Knibb. Miller was finally made free in November 1674. The few examples extant of Miller’s work unsurprisingly have a marked Knibb style and in his teachings to Puller this style, together with Miller’s business connections, obviously continued. The spandrels are also the pattern found on Knibb’s later Phase III clocks, while the unusual escutcheons on this clock, while of Knibb’s general style, appear to be exclusive to Puller; another table clock by Puller using the identical escutcheons is illustrated in Dawson, Drover & Parkes, Early English Clocks, 1982, p.454, pl.664 (Silver mounted clock, Montacute House, National Trust).

In looking more closely, there are also strong similarities to some of Tompion’s work, which might be the result of the location of Puller’s premises, close to Tompion’s on Fleet Street. The second surviving portion of Renter Wardens’ search lists at the Clockmakers’ Co. covers the short period from 1689 to 1693 [Guildhall. Ms.2715/2], as published in Thomas Tompion 300 Years:

On 20th March 1689, Puller’s premises were amongst those visited by Clockmakers’ search party and listed are adjacent makers: Mr Holsted [Robert Halstead], Mr Nabor [possibly William Neighbour the Fromanteel/Graves apprentice free 1685], Mr Wright [Thomas White], Jonathan Rant, Mr Street [Richard], Mr Tompen [Thomas Tompion], Edward Buckenhill, Mr Puller, Mr Gretton, etc. On 27th February 1690, Puller’s premises were visited again by the Clockmakers’ search party, the relevant portion reading: Coattsworth. Kempe. Puller. Newberry. Drew. Tompion. Edlin. Morley. Neighbour. Wicks. [Weeks?]. Whitehead. Micklewright.

There is little doubt that most suppliers would have made efforts to sell their services in a vicinity they were regularly visiting and the use on this clock of a Tompion thistle bud scroll handle is fascinating; the pattern was produced specifically for Tompion’s miniature table clocks in c.1693 and are only otherwise found on that series and assists us with the dating of this clock (see Garnier & Carter, The Golden Age of English Horology, 2015, p.144-149). There is an even closer and more defined link with Tompion; the engraving on this clock was executed by his engraver, G.195 (possibly Henry Adeane – see Evans, Carter, Wright, Thomas Tompion 300 Years, 2013, p.180-183). The backplate is absolutely typical of his work, while the chapter ring is also executed in Tompion’s format, with large outer Arabic numerals and ‘cross’ half quarters, however slightly incongruously the half-hour marks are squat fleur-de-lys. Perhaps the most difficult similarities to explain are those executed in Puller’s own workshop: the shaped cocks on the frontplate have a distinctly Tompion feel to them and the use of interlocking twin repeat levers to the backplate are only usually seen on clocks with Tompion workshop connections – perhaps it is as simple as Puller paying tribute to his, by then highly regarded and reputable neighbour or could he have been an occasional Tompion outworker? There are other instances of Puller using full-size Tompion handle castings and also following Tompion’s twin subsidiary Phase 2 dial layout.

When compared to its diminutive dial, this complicated movement is massive, and to fit it into a case proportional to the dial, it required Puller to use every bit of available space inside. Miniature 17th-century table clocks are scarce anyway, but when combined with an 8-day, split-plate, full Grande Sonnerie striking and repeating, movement, they are unknown to any maker at this time, except Puller.

Not many clocks by Jonathan Puller survive but those that do indicate he was a very accomplished clockmaker with extraordinary abilities; the three recorded miniature full Grande Sonnerie and repeating table clocks, of which this is one, are quite exceptional by any standards and are perhaps, his greatest achievement.

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