AN UNUSUAL MUSICAL THIRTY-HOUR LONGCASE CLOCK MOVEMENT IN A CARVED OAK HOODED WALL CASE THE CHAPTER RING SIGNED FOR JAMES DELANCE, FROME, CIRCA 1695 AND LATER The posted outside countwheel bell striking movement with anchor escapement regulated by seconds pendulum and incorporating a musical train playing a tune every four hours via a 4 inch pinned cylinder operating 14 hammers on a graduated nest of seven bells, the corner posts turned as Doric columns but with square-section shafts to allow screw pivot inserts for the various strike and music work detent pivots, the later 10 inch square brass dial plate with symmetrical stylised foliate scroll engraved centre within applied period silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised sword-hilt half hour markers and engraved I DELANCE, FROME to lower margin, with scroll-pierced steel hand and winged cherub mask and foliate scroll pierced spandrels to angles, now in a carved oak hooded wall case with crest carved as an architectural arcade enclosing figures of armed medieval nobles, over ogee and cavetto moulded cornice and alternating rosette decorated frieze, the hinged glazed dial aperture with foliate trail carved surround flanked by spiral floral trail decorated columns and glazed panels to sides, the bracket with concave throat moulding over frieze applied with panels carved with masks and twin scroll apron, the sides formed as shaped floral decorated brackets and the back panel carved with repeating fan-shaped motifs over shaped pendant. 159cm (62.5ins) high, 48cm (19ins) wide, 27cm (10.75ins) deep. James Delance is recorded in Loomes, Brian Clockmakers of Britain 1286-1700 as born in Downton, Wiltshire in 1655, he is believed to have learnt the clockmaking trade from Lawrence Debnam in Frome prior to moving to London in 1677 where he was admitted as a Free Brother to the Clockmakers' Company the following year. Delance remained in London until 1685 when he left the city and returned to Frome where he set up business in Cheap Street - probably succeeding Lawrence Debnam who died in 1683 at the age of 40. Delance is recorded as undertaking work on clocks for Lord Weymouth at Longleat from at least 1694 until 1703. By 1721 Delance had moved to Downton, Wiltshire and was still working in 1736. Although the present lot has a replaced dial plate and evidence suggesting re-working or possibly the addition of the music train, there are many features which are commensurate with the work of Delance and other Frome-area makers of the late 17th century.
AN UNUSUAL MUSICAL THIRTY-HOUR LONGCASE CLOCK MOVEMENT IN A CARVED OAK HOODED WALL CASE THE CHAPTER RING SIGNED FOR JAMES DELANCE, FROME, CIRCA 1695 AND LATER The posted outside countwheel bell striking movement with anchor escapement regulated by seconds pendulum and incorporating a musical train playing a tune every four hours via a 4 inch pinned cylinder operating 14 hammers on a graduated nest of seven bells, the corner posts turned as Doric columns but with square-section shafts to allow screw pivot inserts for the various strike and music work detent pivots, the later 10 inch square brass dial plate with symmetrical stylised foliate scroll engraved centre within applied period silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised sword-hilt half hour markers and engraved I DELANCE, FROME to lower margin, with scroll-pierced steel hand and winged cherub mask and foliate scroll pierced spandrels to angles, now in a carved oak hooded wall case with crest carved as an architectural arcade enclosing figures of armed medieval nobles, over ogee and cavetto moulded cornice and alternating rosette decorated frieze, the hinged glazed dial aperture with foliate trail carved surround flanked by spiral floral trail decorated columns and glazed panels to sides, the bracket with concave throat moulding over frieze applied with panels carved with masks and twin scroll apron, the sides formed as shaped floral decorated brackets and the back panel carved with repeating fan-shaped motifs over shaped pendant. 159cm (62.5ins) high, 48cm (19ins) wide, 27cm (10.75ins) deep. James Delance is recorded in Loomes, Brian Clockmakers of Britain 1286-1700 as born in Downton, Wiltshire in 1655, he is believed to have learnt the clockmaking trade from Lawrence Debnam in Frome prior to moving to London in 1677 where he was admitted as a Free Brother to the Clockmakers' Company the following year. Delance remained in London until 1685 when he left the city and returned to Frome where he set up business in Cheap Street - probably succeeding Lawrence Debnam who died in 1683 at the age of 40. Delance is recorded as undertaking work on clocks for Lord Weymouth at Longleat from at least 1694 until 1703. By 1721 Delance had moved to Downton, Wiltshire and was still working in 1736. Although the present lot has a replaced dial plate and evidence suggesting re-working or possibly the addition of the music train, there are many features which are commensurate with the work of Delance and other Frome-area makers of the late 17th century.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
