James Stratton
Director
Lot 70TP
A late 17th century walnut longcase clock Joseph Windmills, London
2 December 2025, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£3,000 - £4,000
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Lewis Walduck
Cataloguer
A late 17th century walnut longcase clock
Joseph Windmills, London
The square topped hood with moulded cornice over turned 3/4 and 1/4 columns, the concave throat moulding over a long trunk door with feather banded decoration, D-moulded edge and shaped inlaid panels of burr walnut centred by a lenticle on a cross banded and panel inlaid base. The 11 inch square brass dial with cherub spandrels interspersed by engraved foliate scrolls, the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with fancy cruciform half-hour marks signed between VII and V enclosing the matted centre with ringed winding squares, subsidiary seconds and circular date aperture, the movement with five knopped and finned latched pillars, anchor escapement with inside countwheel striking on a bell. Together with two period brass weights and a pendulum. 2m (6ft 6.5ins) high.
The square topped hood with moulded cornice over turned 3/4 and 1/4 columns, the concave throat moulding over a long trunk door with feather banded decoration, D-moulded edge and shaped inlaid panels of burr walnut centred by a lenticle on a cross banded and panel inlaid base. The 11 inch square brass dial with cherub spandrels interspersed by engraved foliate scrolls, the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with fancy cruciform half-hour marks signed between VII and V enclosing the matted centre with ringed winding squares, subsidiary seconds and circular date aperture, the movement with five knopped and finned latched pillars, anchor escapement with inside countwheel striking on a bell. Together with two period brass weights and a pendulum. 2m (6ft 6.5ins) high.
Footnotes
Joseph Windmills has always been a highly regarded maker of clocks and watches. Brian Loomes records in 'The Early Clockmakers of Great Britain', NAG Press, 1981, page 585, that he was made free of the Clockmakers Company in 1671 and that he took on numerous apprentices, including his son Thomas between 1686 and 1695. He was made Assistant to the Clockmakers Company in 1691, Warden in 1699 and Master in 1702 and is recorded attending until 1720. 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.