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Lot 77
An important third quarter of the 18th century mahogany table clock with phases of the moon, time of high water, automatic representation of the state of tide, and date. Together with an 18th centuryoak box. Designed by James Ferguson, circa 1764, made by Samuel Northcote, Plymouth shortly after 2
13 July 2023, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £12,800 inc. premium
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An important third quarter of the 18th century mahogany table clock with phases of the moon, time of high water, automatic representation of the state of tide, and date. Together with an 18th centuryoak box.
Designed by James Ferguson, circa 1764, made by Samuel Northcote, Plymouth shortly after
The bell top case with handle and four cone finials over shaped and circular glazed side apertures to a moulded base on later brass ogee bracket feet, the front door with brass edging and cast seashell quadrants.
The 7.5 inch tall rectangular dial set to the arch with a rotating spherical moon, half-silvered/half-blued to represent the state of the moon in the night's sky, set over a hand-painted panel depicting a standing couple with goats by their side looking across the sea to a castle flying the Union flag on the opposite bank; the scene is centred by a painted sea inhabited by a manned rowboat, the sea panel is set on a vertical arm which is geared to the clock movement and automatically raises and lowers itself to indicate the relative height of the tides each day. The silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with inner concentric date set over a pair of subsidiary dials; the left hand side with twice I-XII scale around the moon's age 1-29.5 one hand gives the age of the moon, the other the time of high tide; the right hand side dial is divided into eight sections, the single hand geared to rotate and show the ebbs and flows of the ocean, each three-hour sector engraved variously for High Water - Half Ebb - Low Water - Half Flood - High Water - Half Ebb - Low Water - Half Flood, framing the engraved signature Samuel Northcote, Plymouth.
The twin gut (now wire) fusee movement now with anchor escapement, and rack striking on a bell, the gearing for the falling and rising sea level is set between the front plate and the dial. The backplate repeat signed Saml. Northcote, Plymouth with interlaced straps and foliage. Ticking, tide automaton, spherical moon and subsidiary dials all apparently working. Together with a pendulum and two case keys.
Together with a contemporary oak travelling box, the slightly tapering case with a deep top lid set over a pair of front doors opening to reveal a felt-lined interior, set with iron handles to the sides and a large shaped escutcheon plate and sliding bolt to the front. With the brass ogee feet removed, clock sits within this case. Presumably for travel, padded felt 'cushions' would have been used to give additional protection and provide a tighter fit.
The travel case 58cms x 40cms x 24cms. (2)
The bell top case with handle and four cone finials over shaped and circular glazed side apertures to a moulded base on later brass ogee bracket feet, the front door with brass edging and cast seashell quadrants.
The 7.5 inch tall rectangular dial set to the arch with a rotating spherical moon, half-silvered/half-blued to represent the state of the moon in the night's sky, set over a hand-painted panel depicting a standing couple with goats by their side looking across the sea to a castle flying the Union flag on the opposite bank; the scene is centred by a painted sea inhabited by a manned rowboat, the sea panel is set on a vertical arm which is geared to the clock movement and automatically raises and lowers itself to indicate the relative height of the tides each day. The silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with inner concentric date set over a pair of subsidiary dials; the left hand side with twice I-XII scale around the moon's age 1-29.5 one hand gives the age of the moon, the other the time of high tide; the right hand side dial is divided into eight sections, the single hand geared to rotate and show the ebbs and flows of the ocean, each three-hour sector engraved variously for High Water - Half Ebb - Low Water - Half Flood - High Water - Half Ebb - Low Water - Half Flood, framing the engraved signature Samuel Northcote, Plymouth.
The twin gut (now wire) fusee movement now with anchor escapement, and rack striking on a bell, the gearing for the falling and rising sea level is set between the front plate and the dial. The backplate repeat signed Saml. Northcote, Plymouth with interlaced straps and foliage. Ticking, tide automaton, spherical moon and subsidiary dials all apparently working. Together with a pendulum and two case keys.
Together with a contemporary oak travelling box, the slightly tapering case with a deep top lid set over a pair of front doors opening to reveal a felt-lined interior, set with iron handles to the sides and a large shaped escutcheon plate and sliding bolt to the front. With the brass ogee feet removed, clock sits within this case. Presumably for travel, padded felt 'cushions' would have been used to give additional protection and provide a tighter fit.
The travel case 58cms x 40cms x 24cms. (2)
Footnotes
Literature:
Ponsford, Devon Clocks and Clockmakers, 1985, pp109-111; Plates 36 and 37.
Samuel Northcote senior (c1709-1791) was the son of a painter; two of Samuel's sons survived childhood, Samuel junior (c.1742-1813), who followed in his father's footsteps and James (1746-1831) who became a successful painter, though he had completed, on his father's insistence, a full horological apprenticeship in his own workshop. In his autobiography James says of his father that he was "valued by all who knew him for his great integrity, abilities, and general knowledge...he was a pious, studious, humble and ingenious man."
Plymouth was a busy port in the 18th century, and Devon was home to many gifted minds. In 1740 Northcote and his good friend Lyne Brett were founder members of the Otter Club - a group of twelve men who would take morning baths in the sea, and once a fortnight meet for supper. Dr John Mudge, (1721-1793) brother of the celebrated horologist Thomas Mudge (1715-1794) was also one of the twelve members. John was a Fellow of the Royal Society and was awarded its Copley gold medal in 1777. Doubtless Mudge would have discussed the latest London experiments and events with his fellow Otters. It is worth noting too, that Thomas returned to Plymouth in 1771 in order to work on the problem of finding longitude at sea.
Ponsford illustrates this clock by Samuel Senior in his definitive book and states "Another bracket clock has a plate in the dial arch which rises and falls to indicate the state of the tide. Signed 'Samuel Northcote, Plymouth, it was made to a design by the astronomer James Ferguson, who visited Plymouth and stayed for several months as a guest of Northcote's friend, Dr John Mudge. The original clock of this kind was contrived by Ferguson in 1764 for Captain Hutchinson, dockmaster at Liverpool, but it was from Plymouth in May 1766 that Ferguson sent a detailed description of it to the Royal Society, together with a large drawing of the dial and its mechanism." Ferguson himself described it as follows; "a table clock, showing the hours and minutes, the day of the month, the moon's phases, age, and time of coming to the meridian, with the time of high water every day, and the state of the tide at any time of the day or night, by inspection."