Lot Essay
Charles Gretton was active in London in 1662, was a member of the Clockmaker's Company in 1672 and was made a master clockmaker in 1700.
.jpg?w=1)
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
A WILLIAM III OYSTER-VENEERED KINGWOOD, WALNUT AND SEAWEED MARQUETRY LONGCASE CLOCK
THE MOVEMENT BY CHARLES GRETTON, CIRCA 1700-1705 AND WITH ALTERATIONS, THE CASE ASSOCIATED AND CIRCA 1690
Details
A WILLIAM III OYSTER-VENEERED KINGWOOD, WALNUT AND SEAWEED MARQUETRY LONGCASE CLOCK
The movement by Charles Gretton, circa 1700-1705 and with alterations, the case associated and circa 1690
The rising stepped and cushion-molded cornice with foliate penwork above a fabric-lined fretwork panel supported by barley-twist columns, with glazed side panels and flanking a seaweed marquetry glazed door revealing an ormolu-mounted brass clock face with steel Roman numeral chapter ring and date aperture above a trunk inlaid with seaweed marquetry cartouches and roundels surrounded by kingwood crossbanding and penwork borders, on a box plinth with conforming seaweed marquetry and later bun feet, restorations to the base of the plinth, the square brass dial signed along the lower edge 'Char Gretton in Fleete Street', with cherub mask and foliate scroll spandrels to a silvered chapter ring with narrow minute track and with sword-hilt half hour markers, matted centre with ringed winding holes and with engraving around the date aperture, with later strike not strike lever by IX, blued steel hands, with eight day movement, replaced anchor escapement and rack strike on later and restored bell; built up cheekboards, the case associated to dial and movement
78¾ in. high
The movement by Charles Gretton, circa 1700-1705 and with alterations, the case associated and circa 1690
The rising stepped and cushion-molded cornice with foliate penwork above a fabric-lined fretwork panel supported by barley-twist columns, with glazed side panels and flanking a seaweed marquetry glazed door revealing an ormolu-mounted brass clock face with steel Roman numeral chapter ring and date aperture above a trunk inlaid with seaweed marquetry cartouches and roundels surrounded by kingwood crossbanding and penwork borders, on a box plinth with conforming seaweed marquetry and later bun feet, restorations to the base of the plinth, the square brass dial signed along the lower edge 'Char Gretton in Fleete Street', with cherub mask and foliate scroll spandrels to a silvered chapter ring with narrow minute track and with sword-hilt half hour markers, matted centre with ringed winding holes and with engraving around the date aperture, with later strike not strike lever by IX, blued steel hands, with eight day movement, replaced anchor escapement and rack strike on later and restored bell; built up cheekboards, the case associated to dial and movement
78¾ in. high
Provenance
Acquired from Partridge, London, in 1950.