Olde Time Antique Clocks

Description

George II Hooded Wall Clock

Oak cased hooded wall clock, Eight inch brass dial, silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals signed ‘F.Mitten, Chichester’ with original Iron single hand.

Thirty hour, rope, weight driven Birdcage movement in typical crucifix form with outside countwheel striking on a large bell.

The movement rests on it’s original oak seatboard and has a finely decorated hammer stop with anchor escapement and retains it’s original wooden pulley wheel with iron hoop. The original pendulum bob is bulbous and brass covered to both sides and is unusual in that it has two ribbed retaining nuts.

Early provincial makers often had their own way of doing things which did not conform to normal ‘clockwork’ practise., original small driving weight with nicely shaped hook. The back of the dial has a wonderful patina and clearly shows the hand beaten marks, typical of an early brass dial.

The case is made from heavy English oak, is flat topped and sits on shaped brackets, it retains it’s original glass to the door and has an unusual way of fixing the door with a crude iron spring, again typical of early provincial work. (More often than not these early cases would have been made by the local coffin maker residing in the village! Chichester in 1730 would have been a relatively small village) c.1730

‘Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the world’ by Brian Loomes lists Mitten, Francais, Chichester 1711, Mar. St Pancras, London 1714 then Chichester again c.1730