Lot 50TP
A late 17th century olivewood, boxwood and ebonised parquetry and oyster inlaid longcase clock with 10 inch dial. Together with receipts regarding its sale by Walter J. Iden to the vendors grandfather in 1942. Further accompanied by a letter from Iden offering to buy it back again in 1944. Thomas Tompion, London
29 November 2023, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £114,700 inc. premium
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A late 17th century olivewood, boxwood and ebonised parquetry and oyster inlaid longcase clock with 10 inch dial. Together with receipts regarding its sale by Walter J. Iden to the vendors grandfather in 1942. Further accompanied by a letter from Iden offering to buy it back again in 1944.
Thomas Tompion, London
The rising hood with later, pre-numbered carved cresting over long glazed side panels, spirally twisted front columns, convex throat moulding and long (41.5 inch) door inlaid with two geometric stars framed by inlaid corner pieces and a half-round moulded edge, all centred by an unusual octagonal lenticle, over a matching base with stellar inlay to a plain plinth. The 10 inch square brass dial with a single line border enclosing the winged cherubs head spandrels and narrow silvered chapter ring with Arabic minute track, narrow Roman hours and an inner quarter-hour track, the finely matted centre with narrow Arabic seconds ring and chamfered date aperture, and three blued steel hands. Signed along the lower edge Thomas Tompion Londini fecit. Mounted to the movement via four latched dial feet. The eight day weight-driven movement with thick plates united by six knopped and ringed latched pillars, the going train with anchor escapement, the striking train with inside countwheel and detent striking on the deep bell above. The backplate with shaped aperture for the anchor and long steel crutch, the pendulum suspended from a shaped tapering cock. Together with a pendulum and two brass weights, all labelled in Iden's typical cream lettering, a crank winder and door key labelled Mr T.. Further accompanied by a selection of paperwork, see Footnote. 2.135m (7ft) high.
The rising hood with later, pre-numbered carved cresting over long glazed side panels, spirally twisted front columns, convex throat moulding and long (41.5 inch) door inlaid with two geometric stars framed by inlaid corner pieces and a half-round moulded edge, all centred by an unusual octagonal lenticle, over a matching base with stellar inlay to a plain plinth. The 10 inch square brass dial with a single line border enclosing the winged cherubs head spandrels and narrow silvered chapter ring with Arabic minute track, narrow Roman hours and an inner quarter-hour track, the finely matted centre with narrow Arabic seconds ring and chamfered date aperture, and three blued steel hands. Signed along the lower edge Thomas Tompion Londini fecit. Mounted to the movement via four latched dial feet. The eight day weight-driven movement with thick plates united by six knopped and ringed latched pillars, the going train with anchor escapement, the striking train with inside countwheel and detent striking on the deep bell above. The backplate with shaped aperture for the anchor and long steel crutch, the pendulum suspended from a shaped tapering cock. Together with a pendulum and two brass weights, all labelled in Iden's typical cream lettering, a crank winder and door key labelled Mr T.. Further accompanied by a selection of paperwork, see Footnote. 2.135m (7ft) high.
Footnotes
The paperwork consists of the original receipt from 20.2.1942 regarding the purchase of the clock by Mr. C. A. Vernon for the sum of £700. The bottom of the receipt notes that the clock was #3010 in the Iden collection, and also notes that the same clock appears as figure 68, on page 55 of Cescinsky's Old English Master Clockmakers & their Clocks. A further receipt gives a payment 'instalment plan', not only for this clock, but also for a George Graham table clock and a grandmother clock by Daniel Quare, which were all purchased in 1942. There is also a handwritten letter from Iden to Vernon in 1944, offering a full refund for 'the East, Tompion, or Quare or all these'. Iden signs off the offer with 'I hope the flying bombs have neither scared nor damaged you nor your people nor your property.'
