Joseph Knibb, London Circa 1685 SOLD

Clockmaker: Joseph Knibb, London

A fine Charles II ebony and gilt brass mounted Phase III double-six-hour Grande Sonnerie striking table clock

Case

The Phase III case, ebony-veneered on an oak carcass, surmounted by Knibb’s gilt-brass faceted foliate-tied handle to the cushion moulded dome top with gilt-brass foliate dome mounts above the quintessential Knibb flat-topped upper cornice moulding with gilt-brass corner finials. The top rail of the front door is inset with a pierced ebony sound fret, flanked by Knibb’s cherub and scroll escutcheons, the left swivelling to reveal the keyhole. The sides with matching sound frets and glazed apertures above the typical moulded base correctly without feet.

Dial

The 6 inch square gilt-brass dial, signed Joseph Knibb London along the lower edge, between the early design gilt and chased winged-cherub corner spandrels. The silvered Roman hour chapter ring with trident half-hour marks and Arabic minutes within the division. The fine matting with three symmetrical winding holes and typical fine Knibb sculpted blued-steel hands. Fixing into the case with dial turns and with four latched dial feet to the movement.

Movement

The finely made movement has a triple-split frontplate, for individual train assembly, held by ten latched finned baluster pillars, with triple gut-line fusees and spring barrels. The going train with knife-edge verge escapement and short bob pendulum. The IX-side quarter train striking all four quarters on the smaller bell above and governed by a small countwheel to the backplate with four lifting pins that trip, via a tilting posted lever, the large double-six-hour countwheel, releasing the III-side hour train to strike on the larger bell above. The backplate with a line border, symmetrically engraved with tulips and scrolling foliage, typically signed in an arc Joseph Knibb Londini Fecit in cursive script.

Height 11¾ inches; width 9½ inches; depth 6½ inches.