Joseph Knibb, London

Important Phase II silver mounted full Grande Sonnerie table clock. Circa 1685

Case

Ebony veneer and mouldings to the oak carcass, the domed top surmounted by a silver foliate-tied handle. Front door inset with an ebony pierced sound fret and having solid silver winged cherub head scroll escutcheons, the left pin-hinged and swivelling to reveal the key-hole. Glazed side apertures with further ebony pierced sound frets above, inset glazed back door framed with half-round mouldings.

Dial

6 3⁄4 inch square brass dial with four latched feet, covered with black velvet and cast and chased silver winged cherub spandrels. Silver hands delicately pierced, shaped and chamfered. Silvered chapter ring with Roman hour numerals, fleur-de-lys half- hour markers and Arabic minutes signed Joseph Knibb Londini Fecit around VI. The velvet dial centre with plain silver ferrules to the three winding holes and date aperture below XII.

Movement

Full Grande Sonnerie three-train fusee movement with split frontplate, ten vase-shaped latched baluster pillars. Backplate engraved with tulips and scrolling foliage, signed in an arc Joseph Knibb Londini Fecit with further flowers and scrolls. Restored countwheel to the backplate numbered for every hour, releasing the hours to be struck on the larger bell above with a smaller countwheel striking all four quarters on the smaller bell above. Restored knife edge verge escapement with short bob pendulum.

Height Case 12 inches high (30 cm)

One of only four recorded Grande Sonnerie Phase II examples.

Provenance

R.A.Lee

John C Taylor Collection

Exhibited

2003, Horological Masterworks, Oxford Museum for the History of Science