Henry Jones, London

Rare Charles II walnut verge ‘transitional’ table clock. Circa 1673

Case

The figured walnut veneered flat top ‘transitional’ case surmounted by a scroll knotted brass handle, hinged with ribbed brass pommell plates and matching stops. Convex block moulding with a step beneath, above an architectural frieze inset with a walnut D ended foliate pierced sound fret to the front, rear and sides. The front door without frame mouldings to the glazing, the side apertures glazed to match the front door. The back of the case inset with a veneered and glazed door with a D moulding displaying the backplate count wheel and engraved decoration to the four corners. The base of the case with walnut cavetto/ovollo block moulding and the whole case resting on four walnut bun feet.

Dial

The 8 inch square brass dial with finely matted centre, calendar aperture and winding apertures set inline with the hand centres. The narrow silvered chapter ring with Roman hour numerals, fleur de lys half hour markers and Arabic minutes. Blued steel pierced and chamfered hands. The dial corners set with four well chased gilt brass winged cherub spandrels.

Movement

The high quality movement has six ringed baluster pillars, all latched. Verge escapement with short bob pendulum and engraved apron. The hour striking is governed by a large external count wheel engraved with a Tudor rose and Arabic hours. The symmetrically engraved backplate with scroll and single tulip with leaves to the four corners and a Tudor rose around the going side great wheel pivot to mirror the count wheel Tudor rose. Signed in cursive script, Henry Jones in the Temple. The whole movement resting on two seat blocks and secured to the case with bolts through the bottom pillars.

Height 16 inches (40 cm)

Henry Jones

Henry Jones was born in circa 1632 and became one of the most eminent early clockmakers. In 1654 he went to London from Southampton and was apprenticed to Benjamin Hill but soon turned over to Edward East for a period of nine years, a period which encompassed the application of the pendulum to clocks in 1656. Henry Jones became a Freeman of the Clockmakers Company in 1663, but continued to work for East until 1673 when he started to work at the Inner Temple and produced a very fine but small series of flat topped table clocks of which this an example. He was Assistant in 1676 and became Master in 1691. He made a number of clocks for Charles II, one of which cost £150.

For a similar example see The Clockmakers Company Henry Jones in the Science Museum, London. Object number 561 - L2015-3446