James Stratton
Director
Lot 71TP
A fine late 17th century walnut and marquetry veneered striking longcase clock Christopher Gould, London
2 December 2025, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£5,000 - £8,000
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Lewis Walduck
Cataloguer
A fine late 17th century walnut and marquetry veneered striking longcase clock
Christopher Gould, London
The case surmounted by a moulded flat top over a pierced sound fret backed in old silk, above a further moulded section supported by four twisted columns with Doric capitals, the front intercepted by sections of floral marquetry. The sides with rectangular glazed observation windows above a convex throat moulding. The long trunk door with three panels of intricate inlaid marquetry depicting flowers, centred by a bird and butterfly, and with a circular lenticle with brass surround and simple banded inlay. The plinth base with further marquetry panel, all raised on four bun feet. The 10.75 inch square brass dial with Roman and Arabic chapter ring and fleur-de-lys half-hour markers, the finely matted centre engraved with a Tudor Rose enclosing twin ringed winding squares, with subsidiary seconds dial and a decorated calendar aperture, all framed by four decorated cast brass cherub-head spandrels and a double wheatear-engraved border. Signed in the lower section Christopher Gould Londini fecit. Together with finely made blued steel hands. The movement with five finely turned knopped pillars uniting substantial plates, with anchor escapement, striking the hours on a bell mounted above via an external countwheel. Powered by a pair of brass-bound weights (the bolt-and-shutter maintaining power now lacking). Currently ticking and striking unsold with a pair of brass clad weights and pendulum. 2.01m (6ft 7ins) high.
The case surmounted by a moulded flat top over a pierced sound fret backed in old silk, above a further moulded section supported by four twisted columns with Doric capitals, the front intercepted by sections of floral marquetry. The sides with rectangular glazed observation windows above a convex throat moulding. The long trunk door with three panels of intricate inlaid marquetry depicting flowers, centred by a bird and butterfly, and with a circular lenticle with brass surround and simple banded inlay. The plinth base with further marquetry panel, all raised on four bun feet. The 10.75 inch square brass dial with Roman and Arabic chapter ring and fleur-de-lys half-hour markers, the finely matted centre engraved with a Tudor Rose enclosing twin ringed winding squares, with subsidiary seconds dial and a decorated calendar aperture, all framed by four decorated cast brass cherub-head spandrels and a double wheatear-engraved border. Signed in the lower section Christopher Gould Londini fecit. Together with finely made blued steel hands. The movement with five finely turned knopped pillars uniting substantial plates, with anchor escapement, striking the hours on a bell mounted above via an external countwheel. Powered by a pair of brass-bound weights (the bolt-and-shutter maintaining power now lacking). Currently ticking and striking unsold with a pair of brass clad weights and pendulum. 2.01m (6ft 7ins) high.
Footnotes
Provenance: The Carl Barnes Collection
Christopher Gould was a maker of great repute who was free of the Clockmakers Company in 1682. He is perhaps best known for the exquisite inlaid cases that so many of his clocks inhabit.