Edward East, London

A rare and important Charles II ebony architectural striking table clock. Circa 1662

Case

The case of architectural form with ebony veneer and mouldings on an oak carcass. The architectural pediment with three gilt brass vase and foliage finials, gilt brass cartouche mount to the tympanum, plain entablature above the glazed hinged front door with simple moulded border flanked by three quarter bowed columns to the angles with multipiece Corinthian capitals, further held columns to the rear angles, glazed rectangular side panels. The fully veneered plain flat back with veneered back door, the inside with paper label for 1969 exhibition, raised on four talon-clasped pomegranate feet.

Dial

Finely matted 7 ¾ x 8 ½ inch rectangular fire gilded dial with line border to the punch matting and well engraved Tudor rose to the centre. The narrow silvered chapter ring with inner quarter divisions, Roman hour numerals and Arabic five minutes and fleur de lys half hour markers, the reverse with ‘matchstick man’ foundry mark. Shaped, sculpted and pierced blued steel hands and sliding shutter to the winding holes.

Movement

The large but shallow rectangular movement with seven substantial ringed baluster pillars riveted to the frontplate and pinned to the backplate. Large conical shaped fusees and flanged spring barrels. The verge escapement and short bob pendulum with roller cage backcock. The strike train governed by a small numbered count wheel with rose engraved centre mounted to the backplate, strike to large vertical mounted bell. The backplate with evidence of original fire gilding is finely signed in an arc Eduardus East Londini.

Height 21 ¼ in 14 ½ ins width 6 ½ depth

Notes. This movement is amongst the earlier in a series made or sold by East, it is of noticeable solid construction, resulting in a very heavy movement. An important feature of this movement is the backcock cage pivoting the verge arbor. East originally placed three rollers within the cage as an anti friction bearer for the verge arbor.

Peter Gwynn writing to the buyer in 1967 commented that he had never seen a roller bearing backcock before.

In a further letter in 1969 Peter wrote that only three other clocks were known with this unusual roller cage backcock, all by Fromanteel, the most notable being at the Oxford Museum of the History of Science. This was exhibit No.5 in the catalogue and that unfortunately it was not described as having a roller backcock as they relied on the museum concerned, who were not aware of this feature.

Exhibited.

The First Twelve Years of the English Pendulum Clock. 4-14 February 1969.

Literature.

The First Twelve Years of the English Pendulum Clock. Plates 53-55

Michael Hurst. The First 12 years of the English Pendulum Clock. AHS June 1969 P.146-156 Fig 12.

Richard Newton. Edward East and the clock trade in 17th Century London. AHS June 2024 P. 176-196