Exhibit № 16. The Finch Jones, Circa 1670-73

6 feet 10¾ inches (2107 mm)

The beautifully proportioned architectural case is an early example using indigenous walnut veneers and mouldings. The rising hood with original catch and spring, surmounted by three gilt-brass finials on pedestals. With a gilt-brass swag mount to the frieze, above gilt-brass three-part assembled Corinthian capitals to the Solomonic columns, supported by a convex throat moulding above the long book-matched veneered trunk door mounted straight to the trunk sides, the conforming walnut veneered plinth raised on turned bun feet.

The 9½ inch square gilt-brass dial signed Henery Jones in the Temple to the lower edge, slender silvered chapter ring with trident half-hours and Arabic 5-minute numerals within the minute track, sculpted blued-steel hands, the matted centre with seconds ring and shuttered winding holes; winged cherub head spandrels to the corners, four latched dial feet.

The two-train movement with five latched finned baluster pillars, the going train has a conventional pivoted anchor escapement and pendulum crutch with bolt-and-shutter maintaining power, the strike train governed by an external countwheel, an early example of mounting direct to the barrel arbor on the backplate, and striking on the large bell above. Located onto the seatboard blocks with taper pins through the bottom pillars.

8 days

Probably acquired from the maker by the politician and landowner Sir Heneage Finch (1620-82) shortly before he was ennobled as Lord Finch in 1673;
By descent in the Finch family, Burley-on-the-Hill, Rutlandshire, until the death of Wilfred Finch in 1939, consequent death duties forcing the sale of lands and chattels. His cousin and heir, Col. James Hanbury, did not move into the house until 1956, having been living in Burley Vicarage since 1945, thus making sense that the present clock had been sold by 1947;
R Wier Patterson Collection, Scotland, 1948;
Anthony Woodburn, 2003;
The John C Taylor Collection, inventory no.119

The Antique Collector, Nov. 1947, Phillips of Hitchin advert;
Dawson, Drover & Parkes, Early English Clocks, 1982, p.243-4, pl.325;
Antiquarian Horology, Sept 2003, p.525;
Huygens’ Legacy, 2004, (illus.) p.124-5;
Furniture History, Vol L, 2014, ‘Crocuswood and Kingwood cabinets of the early Restoration Period’, (illus.) p.68;
Garnier & Hollis, Innovation & Collaboration, 2018, (illus.) p.246-7

Anchor with one second pendulum

Outside hour countwheel mounted to the greatwheel arbor

2004, Holland, Paleis Het Loo, Huygens’ Legacy, exhibit no.45;
2018, London, Innovation & Collaboration, exhibit no.63