Lot Essay
Edward East, 1602-c.1693, was perhaps the most influential and certainly one of the most important clockmakers of the 17th Century. Born at Southill, Bedfordshire, the son of John East he was apprenticed in the Goldsmith's Company (the Clockmakers' Company having yet to be established) to Richard Rogers until 1626 and made Free in 1627. Remarkably at the age of 29 he was one of the sixteen original co-signatories who successfully petitioned Charles II in 1631 to establish the Clockmakers' Company. It is also recorded in the Company's books that he became an Assistant in 1632 'against his will' but then went on to become Warden in 1638 and Master in 1645 and 1653.
By the 1640s he was working in Fleet Street at the 'Musical Clock' and later at 'The Sun Outside Temple Bar'. In November 1660 he was appointed Chief Clockmaker to the King.
One of the most interesting aspects of these formative horological years was the bigotry within the Clockmakers' Company epitomised by the direct opposition between the East business house with its French Catholic Royalist leanings and the Fromantel house with its Anglo Dutch Protestant Cromwellian inclinations. Ahasuerus Fromanteel was a quite brilliant clockmaker and perhaps most responsible for the advancement of horology in the 17th Century, this despite being constantly at odds with the Clockmakers' Company which was largely under the influence of the then very powerful Edward East.
Despite these differences East's and Fromanteel's clock movements had a peculiar similarity often with tall plates, bold dials and hands and slightly crude wheelwork.
By the 1640s he was working in Fleet Street at the 'Musical Clock' and later at 'The Sun Outside Temple Bar'. In November 1660 he was appointed Chief Clockmaker to the King.
One of the most interesting aspects of these formative horological years was the bigotry within the Clockmakers' Company epitomised by the direct opposition between the East business house with its French Catholic Royalist leanings and the Fromantel house with its Anglo Dutch Protestant Cromwellian inclinations. Ahasuerus Fromanteel was a quite brilliant clockmaker and perhaps most responsible for the advancement of horology in the 17th Century, this despite being constantly at odds with the Clockmakers' Company which was largely under the influence of the then very powerful Edward East.
Despite these differences East's and Fromanteel's clock movements had a peculiar similarity often with tall plates, bold dials and hands and slightly crude wheelwork.