A fine late George III period silvered-dial wall timepiece with verge escapement, single fusee movement and dummy pendulum, housed in an elegant mahogany ‘saltbox’ case.

The case is of constructed nicely patinated mahogany with a caddy-moulded surround to the circular dial and a cast-brass cavetto bezel on a hinge. The shallow saltbox back has an ogee-shouldered top and a conforming shaped pendant apron, with a hinged access door to the right hand side.

The 12-inch silvered brass dial has Roman numerals with Arabic five minute markers and elegant pierced steel hands- the minute serpentine in form. The centre is neatly engraved by the maker David Davies, London below the central dummy pendulum aperture.

The high quality single fusee timepiece movement has four pillars with tapered plates and a verge escapement, regulated by a short pear-shaped bob pendulum.

Height: 18 in (46 cm)

Width:14 ¼ in (36 cm)

Depth: 6 ¼ in (16 cm)

*David Davies (also recorded as David Davis), was a London clock and watchmaker active at the end of the Georgian period. He is recorded on the Strand 1802–04 and is known for well-made domestic clocks, particularly bracket clocks with twin-fusee verge movements and early dial wall timepieces with single-fusee trains, typically signed David Davies (or Davis), London. A signed mid-18th-century pair-cased verge watch shows he also worked in watches. No direct successor is documented.

Davies (listed as Davis) is mentioned on page 199 of Brian Loomes’ Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World: Complete 21^st Century Edition.

HW6573