An early 18th century ebony veneered quarter repeating bracket timepiece
Joseph Windmills, London
Surmounted by a ring turned handle and four urn finials over a heavily moulded cornice, pierced sound frets, and glazed side apertures on a moulded plinth and block feet, the 7.5 inch arched brass dial with starburst date in the arch over an upper case signature JOS WINDMILLS LONDON running along the upper edge of the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring, enclosing the finely matted centre with wide mock pendulum aperture, the substantial movement plates united by five heavy knopped and ring turned pillars, with knife-edge verge escapement repeating the hours and the quarters on a series of three bells and hammers, the backplate signed within an oval wheat-ear cartouche within boldly engraved foliate scrolls 49cm (19.25in) high.
Surmounted by a ring turned handle and four urn finials over a heavily moulded cornice, pierced sound frets, and glazed side apertures on a moulded plinth and block feet, the 7.5 inch arched brass dial with starburst date in the arch over an upper case signature JOS WINDMILLS LONDON running along the upper edge of the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring, enclosing the finely matted centre with wide mock pendulum aperture, the substantial movement plates united by five heavy knopped and ring turned pillars, with knife-edge verge escapement repeating the hours and the quarters on a series of three bells and hammers, the backplate signed within an oval wheat-ear cartouche within boldly engraved foliate scrolls 49cm (19.25in) high.
Sold for
£8,160
inc. premium
Footnotes
- Joseph Windmills has always been a highly regarded maker of clocks and watches. In 1710 he took over the contract to care for the clocks at the Tower of London from Thomas Tompion. A full account of his clocks and family is given in J. A. Neale, "Joseph and Thomas Windmills, Clock and Watch Makers 1671-1737", The Antiquarian Horological Society, 1999. An exceptional ebonised bracket timepiece by him was sold in these rooms 13th June 2006, lot 112.
Category: Clocks and Watches / Clocks
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