A William and Mary ebony and gilt-brass mounted quarter-striking table clock with alarm

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THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN

A William and Mary ebony and gilt-brass mounted quarter-striking table clock with alarm

JOSEPH KNIBB, LONDON. CIRCA 1690

细节

A William and Mary ebony and gilt-brass mounted quarter-striking table clock with alarm
Joseph Knibb, London. Circa 1690
The case with faceted and foliate-clasped gilt-brass handle to a moulded cushion top applied with foliate mounts, glazed side panels, with silk-backed carved fret to the top rail of the front door and brass cherub and scroll escutcheons to the side rails, on moulded base, with later base board, the 6½in. square gilt-brass dial signed Joseph Knibb London along the lower edge, with chased winged cherub mask spandrels to the silvered and skeletonised Roman and Arabic chapter ring with fleur-de-lys half hour markers, finely matted under the chapter ring and to the centre, a square date aperture with inner chamfered edge below XII, the centre with silvered and engraved alarm-setting disc (replaced), finely sculpted blued steel hands, with later strike/not strike lever by 60, with latches to the dial feet and to the six ringed vase-shaped pillars securing the delicate plates, the twin fusees (wire lines) with restored verge escapement, the strike train powering both hour and quarter strike, struck on two bells (later), the re-built alarm train with alarm on further bell (later), the back plate elaborately engraved with tulips and signed Joseph Knibb Londini Fecit, secured to the case with turn catches and two later steel bolts through the lower pillars
12in. (30.5cm.) high to hilt of handle

注意事项

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.

拍品专文

Perhaps the most eye-catching feature used on early English clock dials was the skeletonised chapter ring.
Seldom used by Joseph Knibb his skeletonised dials were reserved for 'special' clocks which often employed unusual strike systems or movements of particularly long duration. Although skeletonised chapter rings had been in common use on the Continent at this time, very few London clockmakers made them. Amongst those who did were Thomas Tompion (1639-1713), Henry Jones (1642-1695), William Clement (1643-1709) and Joseph Knibb. They were extremely time-consuming and delicate to make and therefore expensive. But no one made them better than Joseph Knibb and as if to emphasise this point he occasionally made one in silver. The present clock has a two train movement yet still manages to strike the hours and quarters - and run for a full week. The alarm train would have been a special (and expensive) request by the original owner; most table clocks with alarm were made with going trains only, very few were made in addition to a strike train. The combination of the alarm and the two-train quarter strike is extremely rare
See also lots 70 and 88 and footnotes.