Lewis Walduck
Cataloguer
Lot 78TP
A remarkable, rare and extremely complex astronomical musical longcase clock featuring world time and calendar John Andrew, Sumerton
2 July 2025, 13:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £6,144 inc. premium
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A remarkable, rare and extremely complex astronomical musical longcase clock featuring world time and calendar
John Andrew, Sumerton
The mahogany case surmounted by swan neck pediment and urn finial over freestanding reeded brass-capped Corinthian columns, the inside edge of the dial frame with serpentine outline, over a reeded throat moulding and long trunk door centred by a large neo-classical inlaid urn in an oval, framed by boxwood and ebony line inlay to a matching base on a narrow moulded plinth.
The dial measuring 16ins wide by 23.5ins high (40cms by 60cms) and hand painted with four dials; the upper decorated in colours and enclosed by a cloudy sky against which rotate three gilt planets, the inner ring depicting the signs of the Zodiac with their names and three further shaped patinated arms. The main 24-hour time dial marked 1-12 twice for the hours, and 0-60 for the five-minute markers. The hour hand painted on to a twelve-pointed star, each arm offering a world time zone to include Azores, Petersburg, Ormus, Bengal, Nankin, Botany Bay, Zealand, Society Islands, California, Cape Horn and Antigua. Further set with a day-of-the-week dial and tune selection to include 'Psalm; Song; Dance; March; Air; and Minuet'. The lower corners decorated in colours with the standing figures of Lord Nelson (pointing to a sheet of battle plans) and another historical figure, signed in a shaped reserve between Jno. Andrew, Somerton.
The substantial weight driven movement with thick plates, the going train with anchor escapement, the strike acting on a bell mounted to the backplate, the tunes played on eight bells and hammers, the astronomical gearing all mounted above the main body of the movement on a single arbor. 2.56m (8ft 5ins) high.
The mahogany case surmounted by swan neck pediment and urn finial over freestanding reeded brass-capped Corinthian columns, the inside edge of the dial frame with serpentine outline, over a reeded throat moulding and long trunk door centred by a large neo-classical inlaid urn in an oval, framed by boxwood and ebony line inlay to a matching base on a narrow moulded plinth.
The dial measuring 16ins wide by 23.5ins high (40cms by 60cms) and hand painted with four dials; the upper decorated in colours and enclosed by a cloudy sky against which rotate three gilt planets, the inner ring depicting the signs of the Zodiac with their names and three further shaped patinated arms. The main 24-hour time dial marked 1-12 twice for the hours, and 0-60 for the five-minute markers. The hour hand painted on to a twelve-pointed star, each arm offering a world time zone to include Azores, Petersburg, Ormus, Bengal, Nankin, Botany Bay, Zealand, Society Islands, California, Cape Horn and Antigua. Further set with a day-of-the-week dial and tune selection to include 'Psalm; Song; Dance; March; Air; and Minuet'. The lower corners decorated in colours with the standing figures of Lord Nelson (pointing to a sheet of battle plans) and another historical figure, signed in a shaped reserve between Jno. Andrew, Somerton.
The substantial weight driven movement with thick plates, the going train with anchor escapement, the strike acting on a bell mounted to the backplate, the tunes played on eight bells and hammers, the astronomical gearing all mounted above the main body of the movement on a single arbor. 2.56m (8ft 5ins) high.
Footnotes
Footnote: An almost identical clock by Andrews is in the Brighton and Hove Museum (in a non-original case).
John Andrew, the maker of this striking astronomical clock and the one housed in the Brighton Museum, remains something of an enigma. While a family of clockmakers was active in Pilton throughout the 19th century and earlier mentions appear in the Somerton registers, nothing definite is known about his origins. It is plausible, however, that he was related to the John Andrew of Wincanton who installed a new town clock in 1741—perhaps his father or a close relative—suggesting a continuity of clockmaking skill within the family.
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