Lot 154
154
An English walnut month-going longcase clock
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more
An English walnut month-going longcase clock

THOMAS TOMPION, LONDON NO. 115. DIAL AND MOVEMENT CIRCA 1690, CASE ATTRIBUTED TO TOMPION, CIRCA 1700

Details
An English walnut month-going longcase clock
Thomas Tompion, London No. 115. Dial and movement circa 1690, case attributed to Tompion, circa 1700
The case with brass ball finials to the caddy top with later foliate pierced walnut blind frets to the friezes, gilt-brass capped ¾-columns, later escutcheons, the trunk with rectangular door, later plinth, the 10 in. (25.2 cm.) square gilt-brass dial signed Tho: Tompion Londini Fecit at the base interrupting the scored line border, silvered chapter ring with Roman and Arabic chapters and sword hilt half hour markers, well pierced blued steel hands, the matter centre with subsidiary silvered seconds ring and calendar aperture, latches to the dial feet and also to the six ringed pillars securing the long rectangular movement plates, anchor escapement with Tompion's backcock and steel crutch, reversed trains, the strike with large high position countwheel, the backplate punch-numbered 115 to the top right corner with vacant holes below for the brass L-bracket (now lacking), bolt-and-shutter maintaining power, later bell and bell stand
8 ft. 1 in. (247 cm.) high
Provenance
circa 1930, the collection Hugh Todhunter Esq.
Circa 1942 by descent to Richard Crispin Esq. and thence by descent to the present owner.
Exhibited
The Royal Albert memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter, Devon
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

The present clock is particularly unusual in that whilst the movement did not begin life in this case there is a strong chance that the case was in fact from Tompion's workshops. Unfortunately the top cleat on the trunk door was replaced when the clock was restored so making the task of positively identifying the case as one by Thomas Tompion all but impossible. However the bold mouldings, the colour and quality of the original veneers, the proportions of the original caddy top and other factors, all point towards Tompion's casemaker.

More from Important Clocks

View All
View All