Beschreibung:

An important Charles II architectural key-wound thirty-hour hooded wall clock Jonathan Chambers, Shefford, circa 1670 The substantial four finned pillar single-handed movement latched at the front and originally pinned to the rear with thick plates measuring 7.5 by 5.75 inches incorporating integral cast extensions for the strike detents to left hand side and with rounded-arch shaped lower edge, the going train regulated by verge escapement and short bob pendulum with unusual angled escapewheel and arbor to allow offset positioning of the contrate wheel, the backplate fitted with hour wheel on an arbor passing through the movement to the dial, the strike train with outside countwheel and hammer pivot arbor positioned to the centre of the movement fitted with hammer at the front for striking on the inside edge of a vertical bell mounted above the plates, the 9.75 inch square brass dial centred with an engraved five-petal rose motif above drapery lambrequin signed Jonathan Chambers, Fecit to lower margin within applied 1 inch wide silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised fleur-de-lys half hour markers, with fine generous pierced steel hand and spandrel areas engraved with unusual symmetrical decoration incorporating a dog rose over pomegranate and other fruit, in a wall mounted pedimented case veneered in a padouk-like timber with fine architecturally correct ebonised mouldings, the rising hood with applied gilt brass cherub mount to tympanum above raised mouldings to the glazed dial aperture and rectangular side windows, the backboard fitted with latch to hold the hood in raised position above horizontal table applied with a pair of tall blocks to support the movement, the underside with ebonised shaped apron flanked by conforming side brackets with a short rectangular veneered back panel behind, (case probably later) 58.5cm (28ins) high. Provenance: From the estate of an esteemed antiquarian horologist, sold at Sotheby's, Bond Street, London, 22nd October 1987 (lot 197) subsequently purchased by the vendor from Aspreys, London. Jonathan Chambers is recorded in Loomes, Brian LANTERN CLOCKS and Their Makers as a clockmaker, yeoman and blacksmith who was working in Shefford, Bedfordshire by around 1665. As a recusant Quaker he was prosecuted for not attending church from 1669 onwards. Chambers died in 1693 leaving his widow Alice to marry fellow clockmaker, Thomas Palmer, the following year. Only two other clocks by Jonathan Chambers appear to be recorded; a lantern clock illustrated in Hana, W.F.J. English Lantern Clocks on page 75 (Plate 29) and a walnut longcase clock sold at Christies, King Street, London, 16th December 1987. The current lot is well documented featuring in both Darken, Jeff and Hooper, John English 30 Hour Clocks, Origin & Development, 1600-1800 pages 43-7 and Darken, Jeff (editor) TIME & PLACE, English Country Clocks 1600-1840 as exhibit 3 pages 22-5 (where the movement is extensively illustrated). As already noted the movement is of substantial proportions and is very well made with finely finished steelwork. An unusual feature is the way in which the lifting arms, detents, hour hammer and hand are mounted onto their squared arbors - they are all secured via a pin through a hole drilled to the edge of the boss of the arm/lever rather than being held by a pin across the face of the boss (ie passing through an extended section of the squared arbor). The reason why the maker went to the additional trouble of incorporating this detail throughout is unknown but it does suggest that he was endeavouring to produce a movement of the highest quality. The engraving to the spandrel areas of the dial is particularly interesting as it is clearly by the same hand responsible for very similar decoration seen on series of dials by leading makers such as Edward East Joseph Knibb and Henry Jones all dating to the 1660's or very early 1670's. This series includes an eight-day longcase clock signed by Joseph Knibb of