JOHN KNIBB, OXFORD. CIRCA 1695

Details

A Queen Anne ebonised striking table clock with quarter repeat
John Knibb, Oxford. Circa 1695
The case with foliate tied gilt-metal handle to the cushion moulded top applied with foliate cast gilt-metal mounts and with an urn finial to each corner, glazed sides with oval pierced ebony sound frets above (left fret possibly original), the door with similar fret to the top rail, gilt-metal winged cherub escutcheons (left escutcheon replaced), simple moulded flat base, the 6½ in square brass dial signed Johannes Knibb Oxoniae fecit beneath the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring, pierced blued steel hands (hour probably a replacement, minute probably original with restoration), matted centre, strike/silent lever above XII, latches to the dial feet and also to secure the five vase-shaped pillars, twin fusees with wire lines, re-built knife-edge verge escapement, hour strike on a bell with the quarters struck on a smaller (later) bell, internal rack strike system with steel levers and racks spanning the inside of the backplate, the foliate engraved backplate signed Johannes Knibb Oxoniae Fecit
12½ in. (32 cm.) high

Special notice

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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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