James Stratton
Director
Lot 80*
A fine and rare early 18th century English ebony-veneered quarter-repeating table clock. Thomas Tompion, London, number 390. Circa 1703.
2 December 2025, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£120,000 - £180,000
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Lewis Walduck
Cataloguer
A fine and rare early 18th century English ebony-veneered quarter-repeating table clock.
Thomas Tompion, London, number 390. Circa 1703.
The caddy top surmounted by an oval acanthus handle over fine mouldings to the caddy base framed by a well moulded cornice, the front door with a silk-backed cast foliate scroll sound fret over rail scroll escutcheons, the sides with rectangular glazed panels and matching gilt frets, the rear door with lock and plain moulded edge, all on a moulded base and block feet.
The gilt brass rectangular dial measuring 8 by 7 inches and decorated to the upper centre with symmetrical foliate scroll engraving centered by a central signature cartouche Tho Tompion Londini Fecit, framed by a pair of subsidiary dials for rise-and-fall regulation and strike/not strike (the latter hand with twin nibs), over double-screwed scroll spandrels to the top and Minerva mask spandrels to the bottom; the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with outer line border, minute track and inner quarter-hour track divided by typical Tompion cruciform half-hour markers, the extremely finely matted centre with a chamfered mock pendulum aperture and blued steel hands Secured to the movement via three latched dial feet.
The eight-day twin gut fusee movement united by seven knopped and ringed latched pillars, the slightly smaller frontplate with typical cut-out to accommodate the quarter repeating work; the going train with pivoted verge escapement set in an engraved tear-drop shaped cock, the brass-rod pendulum mounted on a separate tear-drop shaped cock and terminating in a double-faced brass lenticular bob, the heavy brass rise and fall suspension bar mounted above; the rack strike train announcing the hours on a large bell, and repeating the quarters on a smaller bell, the quarter repeat system activated from either side of the case via one of two pull cords to engage with interlinked blued steel levers, one cocked, the other pivoted. Signed in a low rectangular cartouche Thomas Tompion Londini Fecit, set within a symmetrical pattern of foliate scrolls centered by a perched eagle and hanging bell flowers, attributed to Graver 195. Ticking, striking and repeating, sold together with a bespoke, custom-made 17th century style winding key and one door key. 42cms (16.5ins) high.
The caddy top surmounted by an oval acanthus handle over fine mouldings to the caddy base framed by a well moulded cornice, the front door with a silk-backed cast foliate scroll sound fret over rail scroll escutcheons, the sides with rectangular glazed panels and matching gilt frets, the rear door with lock and plain moulded edge, all on a moulded base and block feet.
The gilt brass rectangular dial measuring 8 by 7 inches and decorated to the upper centre with symmetrical foliate scroll engraving centered by a central signature cartouche Tho Tompion Londini Fecit, framed by a pair of subsidiary dials for rise-and-fall regulation and strike/not strike (the latter hand with twin nibs), over double-screwed scroll spandrels to the top and Minerva mask spandrels to the bottom; the silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with outer line border, minute track and inner quarter-hour track divided by typical Tompion cruciform half-hour markers, the extremely finely matted centre with a chamfered mock pendulum aperture and blued steel hands Secured to the movement via three latched dial feet.
The eight-day twin gut fusee movement united by seven knopped and ringed latched pillars, the slightly smaller frontplate with typical cut-out to accommodate the quarter repeating work; the going train with pivoted verge escapement set in an engraved tear-drop shaped cock, the brass-rod pendulum mounted on a separate tear-drop shaped cock and terminating in a double-faced brass lenticular bob, the heavy brass rise and fall suspension bar mounted above; the rack strike train announcing the hours on a large bell, and repeating the quarters on a smaller bell, the quarter repeat system activated from either side of the case via one of two pull cords to engage with interlinked blued steel levers, one cocked, the other pivoted. Signed in a low rectangular cartouche Thomas Tompion Londini Fecit, set within a symmetrical pattern of foliate scrolls centered by a perched eagle and hanging bell flowers, attributed to Graver 195. Ticking, striking and repeating, sold together with a bespoke, custom-made 17th century style winding key and one door key. 42cms (16.5ins) high.
Footnotes
Thomas Tompion (1639–1713), widely regarded as the father of English clockmaking, was born at Ickwell Green, Bedfordshire. After moving to London, he joined the Clockmakers' Company as a Free Brother in 1671 and established his workshop, The Dial and Three Crowns, in Water Lane. His association with the eminent scientist Dr. Robert Hooke brought him to the attention of King Charles II, securing his reputation as England's leading horologist. Tompion introduced a pioneering serial numbering system for his clocks and watches around 1680, a practice later continued by his successor, George Graham.
Provenance:
A private European collection for the last 31 years.
Sotheby's, New Bond Street, 6 October 1994, Good Clocks, Watches, Wristwatches, Barometers and Mechanical Musical Instruments lot 360. At that time it had been in a private collection for at least fifty years.