THE PROPERTY OF AN ESTATE

A GEORGE I BRASS-MOUNTED WALNUT AND BURR-WALNUT QUARTER-CHIMING EIGHT DAY LONGCASE CLOCK WITH YEAR CALENDAR AND TIDAL MOON

CHARLES CLAY, LONDON. CIRCA 1725

Details

A GEORGE I BRASS-MOUNTED WALNUT AND BURR-WALNUT QUARTER-CHIMING EIGHT DAY LONGCASE CLOCK WITH YEAR CALENDAR AND TIDAL MOON
CHARLES CLAY, LONDON. CIRCA 1725
CASE: arched hood with frieze fret, further frets to sides, inset brass-capped columns, concave moulding to trunk door, on double-footed restored plinth DIAL: 13 in. wide brass dial with chevron-engraved border, mask and foliate lower spandrels to silvered chapter ring signed 'Charles Clay/LONDON', matted centre with subsidiary seconds ring and date aperture, with subsidiarys above for 'Strike All/Silent Quarters/Silent All' and year calendar ring with the deities and number of days for each month, the large central silvered ring with inner twice XII for tidal indication and outer days of the moon, its painted centre showing a penny moonphase, blued steel hands MOVEMENT: with Y-shaped plates joined by six pillars, anchor escapement and rack hour strike on bell, quarter chiming on eight further bells with eight hammers via a 1½ in. pinned barrel; three brass weights, pendulum, case key and crank key
97 in. (246 cm.) high; 23 in. (58.5 cm.) wide; 11¼ in. (28.5 cm.) deep

Literature

D. Roberts, British Longcase Clocks, Pennsylvania, 1990, pp. 164-165, figs. 220a, b, c.

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Lot Essay

Born (date unknown) in Flockton, Yorkshire, Charles Clay was in London by 1716 or earlier. By 1720 he was at St James's and by 1736 he was at the Strand. He is most famous for his superb musical and organ clocks, such as the 'Temple of the Four Great Monarchies' which was acquired by Augustus, Prince of Wales in 1743 (see C. Jagger, Royal Clocks, London, 1983, pp. 77--81. With its distinctively large and attractively layed out subsidiary rings, the present clock is a fine example of his work. The tidal dial is probably for High Tide at London Bridge.

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