A fine walnut floral, bird inhabited marquetry eight-day longcase clock professionally but sympathetically restored...

CASE: (Standing 207cm H)

The case with floral marquetry, crossgrain ogee moulded cornice and scroll pierced frieze to lintel, Leafy trail inlaid glazed hood door applied with solomonic three-quarter columns to front angles, the sides with rectangular windows and conforming quarter columns set against bargeboards at the rear, the trunk with convex floral marquetry veneered throat moulding over a 42 inch rectangular door centred with an oval lenticle and with three shaped marquetry panels decorated with bird inhabited floral sprays and scrolling foliage on a ebonised ground within a figured walnut field, the sides veneered with twin slender oyster-cut panels within crossbanded borders, the base with stepped ogee top moulding and conforming rectangular marquetry panel over bun feet.

MOVEMENT: EDWARD SPEAKMAN

Five finned pillar internal countwheel bell striking movement with anchor escapement regulated by seconds pendulum, the 12 inch square brass dial with subsidiary seconds ring, scroll border engraved calendar aperture and ringed winding holes to the matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised sword hilt half hour markers, Arabic five minutes to outer track and signed E. Speakman, London to lower margin, with scroll pierced blued steel hands and twin cherub and crown cast spandrels to angles within herringbone engraved border.

NOTES:

Edward Speakman is recorded in Loomes, Brian Clockmakers of Britain 1286-1700 as born in 1668 and apprenticed to his father, William, from 1682/3 to 1689, (SEE PICTURE OF INDENTURE) Edward then took his own apprentices, those being, Ezekiel Gurney in January 1692/92; John Buckel in August 1697; Thomas Brockles (son of Alborn Brockles of the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, Middlesex, cloth worker); James Watts in March 1707/08. He is recorded as signing ‘The Oath of Allegiance’ back in 1697 and worked until his death in Christ Church Parish 1713.

•Examples of Edwards work can be found in the Victoria & Albert Museum.

The last two images show a copy of the original apprentice indenture signed under King Charles II’s reign back in 1682.

His father William was active in the Clock Makers company, chosen Steward in 1682, "after much arguing," this was the first step towards higher office in the company. In September 1691 he was elected, along with Thomas Tompion, Joseph Knibb, William Young, Nathaniel Barrow and Joseph Windmills as an Assistant. All of these accepted their office with its obligations and entitlements. In 1698 he was elected warden and in 1701 the master (no doubt giving the customary bond of 500 pounds for the true execution of his office). Election to the mastership (see Brian Loomes, Early Clockmakers of Great Britain, p. 28) was according to their length of service, not on account of merit!! He last attended in 1710 and probably died soon after.