James Stratton
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Lot 36W
A very rare first half of the 18th century walnut longcase clock showing solar time Joseph Williamson, London
8 July 2015, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £8,125 inc. premium
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A very rare first half of the 18th century walnut longcase clock showing solar time
Joseph Williamson, London
the square topped case with overhanging cornice and blind fretwork quadrants supported by brass-mounted three-quarter and quarter columns to the hood, the long door with feather banded edge on a similar base, the 12 inch arched brass dial signed on a recessed silvered plaque 'Horce indicantur Apparentes involutis AEquationibus' ("The apparent hours are indicated by complicated equations"), Josephus Williamson, Londini', the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with floating lozenge half-hour markers, all set below a large 5.5inch diameter dial in the arch giving the annual calendar, the date marked by the position of a steel hand with Sun mask tip on a stellar recess, the substantial movement with rectangular plates united by five knopped pillars and set with a large tapering bracket to the rear upper edge carrying the toothed calendar wheel geared to an endless screw and contrate wheel. 2.3m (7ft 7ins) high
the square topped case with overhanging cornice and blind fretwork quadrants supported by brass-mounted three-quarter and quarter columns to the hood, the long door with feather banded edge on a similar base, the 12 inch arched brass dial signed on a recessed silvered plaque 'Horce indicantur Apparentes involutis AEquationibus' ("The apparent hours are indicated by complicated equations"), Josephus Williamson, Londini', the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with floating lozenge half-hour markers, all set below a large 5.5inch diameter dial in the arch giving the annual calendar, the date marked by the position of a steel hand with Sun mask tip on a stellar recess, the substantial movement with rectangular plates united by five knopped pillars and set with a large tapering bracket to the rear upper edge carrying the toothed calendar wheel geared to an endless screw and contrate wheel. 2.3m (7ft 7ins) high
Footnotes
The purpose of this clock was to show apparent solar time rather than
mean solar time. Mean time is the 'average' of time over the course of
365 solar days and it varies with the time on a sundial over the course
of the year. This means that when setting a clock from a sundial, one
has to add or subtract a certain number of minutes to reach mean
time. This clock is provided with a cam connected to the pendulum
suspension that automatically raises or lowers the rod incrementally
over the year.
Illustrated on the front cover of the first edition of 'The Longcase Clock', and further illustrated and discussed pages 180-184.