A late 17th century ebony veneered bracket timepiece with pull quarter repeat
Joseph Knibb, London
Shallow caddy top surmounted by a foliate-tied handle of typical facetted section, each side set with a long rectangular glazed panel, the front door now with filled sound fret aperture and missing escutcheons, on a well moulded plinth base on (later) ball feet screwed into the typical solid base panel with grain running from side to side, the 6.25 inch square brass dial signed along the lower edge 'Joseph Knibb, London', with winged cherubs head spandrels enclosing the silvered chapter ring with outer arabic minute track, Roman hour numerals interspersed with fleur-de-lys half hour markers and inner quarter-hour track, to a finely matted centre, secured to the frontplate via four latched dial feet, the single gut fusee movement with rectangular plates united by boldly turned baluster pillars latched to the front plate, the verge escapement with knife edge suspension and pear shaped bob, repeating the hours on a large bell and the quarters on a smaller bell via a repeat cord from either side through the use of a pair of runners, the backplate engraved with entwined flower sprigs and centred by the slightly curving signature 'Joseph Knibb Londini fecit' 35cm (13.75in) high.