AN 18TH CENTURY EBONY BRACKET CLOCK

AN 18TH CENTURY EBONY BRACKET CLOCK

BY CHRISTOPHER PINCHBECK LONDON

the brass eight day movement with a verge escapement and a pull-quarter repeat, striking on six bells, the backplate engraved with scrolling leaves, birds and baskets of fruit, the brass seven inch arched dial with a silvered chapter ring, with Roman and Arabic numerals, with pierced blued steel handles, the matted centre with a faux bob pendulum and date aperture, with a signature cartouche, inscribed 'Chr Pinchbeck London', with gilt spandrels and strike/silent dial to the arch, the moulded case with a bell top and a brass handle, together with a first edition copy of 'Christopher Pinchbeck and his Family' by Rita Shenton, no.467 (2);

45.5cm high, 27.3cm wide

Provenance

Acquired by the current vendor's father from Henry Hall Antique Clocks, Westenham, Kent on 13th November 1985.

Catalogue Note

The Pinchbeck Family started as clockmakers under Christopher Pinchbeck (1670-1732). The family took their name from a small village in Lincolnshire. He was famous for his complicated astronomical-musical clocks and automata. He also invented a metal with the appearance of gold, known today as 'Pinchbeck metal'. His elder son, also called Christopher (d.1783), continued on his own and supplied George III with an astronomical clock, which is still in the Royal Collection.