A rare Queen Anne silver-mounted walnut, fruitwood and ebonised marquetry striking eight day table clock with quarter repeat
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A rare Queen Anne silver-mounted walnut, fruitwood and ebonised marquetry striking eight day table clock with quarter repeat

JOSEPH WINDMILLS, LONDON. CIRCA 1705

Details
A rare Queen Anne silver-mounted walnut, fruitwood and ebonised marquetry striking eight day table clock with quarter repeat
Joseph Windmills, London. Circa 1705
The case inlaid to all sides, silver foliate-tied S-form handle to the cushion moulded top, silk-backed frets above rectangular glazed side panels, the base on silver bun feet (one later), the 7in. square brass dial with silver winged cherub spandrels, strike/not strike lever to XI position, engraved and silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring signed J Windills London with fleur-de-lys half hour markers and diamond half quarter hour markers, ringed winding holes, false pendulum and chamfered date square to the matted centre, pierced blued steel hands, the movement with five ringed pillars, twin gut fusees, engraved later apron and restored verge escapement, pull quarter repeat on a nest of five bells and rack strike on further bell, the back plate with foliate, fruit and bird engraving and signed Windmills London; two case keys
See p.118 for back plate and under dial details
14 in. (35.5 cm.) high, handle down
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
J.A. Neale, Joseph and Thomas Windmills, Clock and Watch Makers 1671-1737, Ticehurst, 1999
Dawson, Drover & Parkes, Early English Clocks, Woodbridge, 1982
A comparable marquetry table clock by Joseph Windmills was sold Christie's London,Clocks, Watches, Barometers and Scientific Instruments 17 December 1975, lot 132 (also illustrated Neale op.cit., p.76).
Marquetry table clocks are comparatively rare. An example by Thomas Taylor, London was sold at Christie's London, Important Clocks, 1 July 2005, lot 137. Other examples may be seen in Dawson, Drover & Parkes (op. cit., pp.465-466). Few clocks of this period were embellished with expensive silver mounts, with even Tompion reserving such luxuries for his finest clocks. An ebony and silver-mounted table clock by Windmills is illustrated in Neale (pl.III).
Joseph Windmills was probably born 1640-1650 and was Free of the Clockmakers' Company in 1671 (until 1723). In 1702 he was Master of the Company. At the time of making this clock he occupied premises at Marke Lane End, next Tower Street and it is likely that he was in partnership with his son Thomas.

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