Joseph Windmills, London SOLD

SOLD

A fine Queen Anne ebonised table clock with pull quarter repeat on five bells. The 7 inch gilt brass dial signed Joseph Windmills London to the shallow arch with a strike/silent function lever below. Silvered chapter ring with lozenge half hour markers, the centre of the dial is finely matted and has a chamfered false pendulum aperture with engraved background, cherub spandrels to the four corners. Blued steel hands The substantial five pillar movement has its original verge escapement and is pull quarter repeating on five bells, it strikes the hours on a separate bell. The backplate is signed Joseph Windmills London within a foliate cartouche amongst finely engraved foliage.

The ebonised case has a bell top and brass carrying handle, finely pierced ebony sound frets to the front and rear doors with foliate cast brass escutcheons and fine original brass repousse mounts to the side apertures.

Height 16 ins (40.6 cm)

Date circa 1710

Joseph Windmills is recorded as a very fine clockmaker. He worked in St Martins Le Grand and in 1702 was appointed Master of the Clockmakers Company. Examples of his work are included in the British Museum and Guildhall Museum.

Bonhams sold a bracket clock with an identical movement and dial contained in a chinoiserie decorated case in 2009 for 67,200. For another example see Joseph & Thomas Windmills by J.A.Neale Publishes by The Antiquarian Horological Society. Page. 165.