James Stratton
Director
Lot 73
A fine and rare late 17th century ebony veneered table clock Henry Jones, London
22 June 2021, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £17,750 inc. premium
Looking for a similar item?
Our Clocks specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
A fine and rare late 17th century ebony veneered table clock
Henry Jones, London
The caddy top with facetted handle set on internal pommels and centred by tied foliage, each of the four sides applied with repousse gilt brass mounts over a moulded cornice, the sides further set with repousse sound frets above long glazed panels, the front door with four applied mounts over a moulded base raised on brass-mounted bun feet, the 6.25 inch square brass dial with winged cherubs head spandrels framing the Roman and Arabic silvered chapter ring with outer minute band marked in 5s, and inner quarter hour track, the half-hours demarcated by elaborate meeting-arrowheads, the finely matted centre with chamfered date aperture and fettled steel hands, the twin gut fusee movement united by three square-section pillars to the lower half and two knopped pillars to the upper part with knife edge verge escapement with pear shaped bob to the pendulum, the strike train with an engraved silvered outside countwheel centred by a multi-leaved flowerhead, the plain backplate with double line border signed in a shield-shaped drapery cartouche 'Henricus Jones Londini', further mounted with outside barrel ratchets with elaborate stops supported by a shaped and pierced brass spring. 34cms (1ft 2ins) high.
The caddy top with facetted handle set on internal pommels and centred by tied foliage, each of the four sides applied with repousse gilt brass mounts over a moulded cornice, the sides further set with repousse sound frets above long glazed panels, the front door with four applied mounts over a moulded base raised on brass-mounted bun feet, the 6.25 inch square brass dial with winged cherubs head spandrels framing the Roman and Arabic silvered chapter ring with outer minute band marked in 5s, and inner quarter hour track, the half-hours demarcated by elaborate meeting-arrowheads, the finely matted centre with chamfered date aperture and fettled steel hands, the twin gut fusee movement united by three square-section pillars to the lower half and two knopped pillars to the upper part with knife edge verge escapement with pear shaped bob to the pendulum, the strike train with an engraved silvered outside countwheel centred by a multi-leaved flowerhead, the plain backplate with double line border signed in a shield-shaped drapery cartouche 'Henricus Jones Londini', further mounted with outside barrel ratchets with elaborate stops supported by a shaped and pierced brass spring. 34cms (1ft 2ins) high.
Footnotes
Henry Jones (1642-1695) was the son of a vicar and in 1654 he left home for London. He was originally apprenticed to Benjamin Hill but quickly turned over to Edward East. He became a Freeman of the Clockmakers Company in 1663, was an Assistant in 1676 and became Master in 1691. During his thirty year working life he took on fourteen apprentices. In October 1692 he matched Edward Easts contribution of £100 to the Clockmakers Charity for "5 poor widows having Annually the Benefitt thereof Forever".
A study of his work reveals the debt he owed to East's teachings - his early flat-topped table clocks in tall rectangular cases, clocks with engraved fruit corners and night clocks for instance. But however much his work was influenced by his Master, he managed to develop certain personal flourishes that allow his work to stand out from the crowd even today. His use of dotted half-hour markers and heavy engraved lines on movements, and the visible barrel ratchets with elaborate stops mounted on the backplates are just some of the visual cues to his work.
An extensive account of the life and work of Jones 'Henry Jones - Clockmaker of London' by C.Stuart Kelley was published in four parts in Antiquarian Horology, beginning Volume 27, No.2, December 2002.
Additional information
Bid now on these items
