An exceptional type 1 period prenumbered flower and bird marquetry longcase clock with 8-day movement, inside countwheel strike and bolt and shutter maintaining power.

The exquisite 10 inch square dial has subsidiary seconds below XII and a finely matted centre with inset datework above VI.

The elegant early oyster olivewood, boxwood and green bone inlaid case has exceptional bird and flower marquetry panels, roundels and corner spandrels set within an ebony ground. There is a turned ebonised pearwood lenticle with a glass in the centre of the trunk door to view the swinging pendulum.

The clock has a rising hood with ebonised Solomonic columns front and back, and ebonised capitals and bases.

Height: 76 ⅞ in (195 cm)

Width: 17 ½ in (44.5 cm)

Depth: 9 ⅞ in (25 cm)

* The case of this small elegant Type 1 prenumbered longcase bears many similarities to that of the Powis Tompion illustrated in Thomas Tompion: 300 Years. There it is claimed that the Powis case was almost certainly made by Jasper Braem and the same can be said of this case which is illustrated and discussed at length by Jeremy Evans in Thomas Tompion at the Dial and Three Crowns. For a time, Jasper Braem was a sub-tenant in a part of Tompion’s Fleet Street property known as ‘The Three Crowns’ prior to it being renamed ‘The Dial and Three Crowns’ in 1690. Braem was a cabinet and clock case maker of Dutch extraction and there is strong evidence he made marquetry longcase cases for his landlord in the 1670s and 1680s. This was in addition to inlaying the Duchess of York’s bed “done with several coloured woods in Resemblance of flowers, leaves etc …” at Windsor Castle.

Literature:  Jeremy Evans, The Dial and Three Crowns, pp.28 – 31, figs.41 & 42

                    Evans, Carter, Wright, Thomas Tompion 300 Years, pp.500-503: The Powis Tompion

HW5755