Lot 38
38
John Knibb, Oxford A William and Mary ebony striking table clock. Circa 1690
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more
John Knibb, Oxford A William and Mary ebony striking table clock. Circa 1690

Details
John Knibb, Oxford

A William and Mary ebony striking table clock. Circa 1690
The case with foliate tied gilt-brass handle to the cushion moulded top applied with foliate cast gilt-brass repoussé mounts, glazed sides, the front door with pierced ebony fret to the top rail, later gilt-brass winged cherub escutcheons, moulded flat base, the 6¾ in. square dial signed John Knibb Oxon Fecit beneath the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with pierced blued steel hands and finely matted centre with calendar aperture beneath XII, winged cherub gilt spandrels, latches to the dial feet and to the five baluster-shaped pillars of the movement with thin rectangular brass plates, knife edge verge escapement with brass potance, hour strike on a bell above the plates via calibrated outside countwheel, the backplate profusely engraved with flower-heads and tulips within scrolling foliage, the movement secured to the case by turn-screws to the back of the dial plate
12½ in. (32 cm.) high
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

John Knibb (1650-1722) was the younger brother of Joseph (1640-1721) to whom he was apprenticed in Oxford in about 1664. At the age of twenty, when Joseph left for London, John took charge of the Oxford business, and in 1673 upon payment of a fine he received the Freedom of the City.
There are far fewer extant table clocks signed John Knibb than those signed Joseph Knibb. There have been may opinons expressed that John may have helped Joseph's London workshops. The comparatively small output of Oxford clocks and the fact that John had no fewer than ten apprentices might suggest that much of the workshop's energy went towards working for Joseph.

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