Stock No.

Exhibit No.7

Height

20¼ inches (516 mm)

Case

The case of simplified architectural form in ebony and ebonised fruitwood veneers onto an oak and pine carcass. The full depth architectural pediment, set on either slope with matching raised rectangular panels above a plain frieze, over the unadorned front door that has a fine glazing frame-moulding, the side glazed apertures with matching mouldings. The flat back veneered, and with a pediment shaped fretted aperture framed by raised mouldings, above the solid rear door. The main plinth moulding resting, and rotating, on a restored square-edge veneered turntable base with ebonised bun feet.

Dial

The 8 x 9 inches (206 x 232 mm) rectangular brass dial retains its original firegilding and the very fine matting shimmers like shot silk when viewed obliquely. This is surrounded by a narrow burnished edge-margin, and centered by an engraved Tudor rose. The slender silvered chapter ring with inner quarter division ring, Roman hour numerals and stylised fleur-de-lys half-hour marks, the outer Arabic minutes marked every 5, within the ring. The original hour and minute hands of early form, finely pierced and well-shaped in blue steel, with the winding squares placed above the centre without shutters; the dial is secured to the movement via four ‘reverse-knopped’ and pinned dial feet.

Movement

The substantial movement, retaining traces of original gilding, with seven attractive shallow vase-shaped baluster pillars, proud-riveted to the frontplate and pinned on the backplate. The large diameter spring barrels driving the substantial fusees with gut lines, also with large diameter greatwheels resulting in high position winding squares on the dial. The going train with engraved apron to the knife-edge verge escapement and short bob pendulum; the strike train governed by a small gilt-brass countwheel engraved with a Tudor rose and Arabic numbering of each locking slot, mounted high on the backplate and engaging a cocked detent lever, striking the hours on a large vertically mounted bell. The backplate is plain apart from the bold engraved signature, John Hilderson Londini Fecit, in early cursive script in an downward curve below centre. The movement held in the case by later plain brackets.

Duration

8 days

Provenance

Private collection Brixham, Devon, bought by GH Bell of Winchester and sold c.1950;
James Bomford Collection sold 1964;
RT (Peter) Gwynn Collection;
John C Taylor Collection, inventory no.44

Literature

Ullyett, In Quest of Clocks, 1950, p.142-6;
Lloyd, Country Life Annual, 1954, p.165-168;
Lloyd, Old Clocks (Practical Handbook for Collectors),
1958, pl.16;
Lee, The First Twelve Years of the English Pendulum
Clock
, 1969, exhibition catalogue, pl.62 and 63;
Dawson, Drover & Parkes, Early English Clocks, 1982,
pl.208 and 209;
R T Gwynn catalogue, 1990;
Antiquarian Horology, Weston, ‘A Reassessment of the
clocks of John Hilderson, and other Members of the
East School’, June 2000, p.407-415;
Horological Masterworks, 2003, p.58-61;
Huygens’ Legacy, The Golden Age of the Pendulum
Clock
, 2004, p.80-81;
Garnier & Hollis, Innovation & Collaboration, 2018,
p.204-205

Escapement

Knife-edge verge with short bob pendulum