Daniel Quare, London, circa 1710

Exhibit No.16

8½ inches

The miniature case, veneered in ebonised fruitwood onto an oak carcass, with cushion-moulded top surmounted by a knopped scroll handle. The full dome leading directly into the double-return main top moulding, above the rectangular front and back full-doors, with rectangular glazed side apertures, formerly with frets, and all supported on a cavetto/ovolo step moulded base.

The 3⅜ by 315⁄16 inch rectangular brass dial decorated by Tompion’s workman, Graver 515, with engraved mask and foliate spandrels, the top two with additional birds above and signed in between Dan Quare LONDON, the silvered chapter ring with Roman hours and fleur-de-lys half-hour markers the inner ring divided for quarters, matted centre with outer-divided Arabic alarm-disc, 1-12, the fine ring turned and pierced single hand with a sculpted alarm-setting tail.

The suitably diminutive movement plates with five finned baluster pillars, single fusee and spring barrel with knife-edge verge escapement and short bob pendulum, the alarm train wound through the dial with its spring-barrel on the backplate, the alarm pinwheel to three hammers sounding on a single bell above. The backplate decorated by Graver 515 with elaborate foliate scrolls, strapwork, a basket of fruit and birds all within a line border.

Christie’s London, 3 November 2011, lot 105;

The Tom Scott collection, inventory no.79;

Garnier & Carter, The Golden Age of English Horology, 2015, p.316-317.

Height 8½ inches; width: 5¾ inches; depth: 4⅝ inches

The gorgeous decoration to the dial and backplate of this wonderful little travelling clock was executed by Tompion’s workman, Graver 515 (Thomas Tompion 300 Years, 2013, p.184) and, together with other earlier examples, is evidence that this engraver was working for Daniel Quare before he started his employment with Tompion.