The Clock Work Shop

Description

This fascinating clock which bears the signature of Thomas Tompion was evidently not made in his workshop, but his signature is old and engraved in the correct style so it is likely that the clock may have been ordered by tompion from another clockmaker and then had his own name placed on the dial before delivery to the customer. It is interesting to speculate who this clockmaker could have been and it is perhaps relevant to mention that a similarly designed musical clock with a single, almost identical tune barrel by Ahasuerus Fromanteel which is illustrated and discussed in Early English Clocks by Dawson, Drover and Parkes on pages 501 to 512.

The dial appears to be a standard stock dial that appears to have been modified to use with this movement. There is a scribe line on the reverse for a conventional sized calendar ring, but as this would have passed through the two outer winding holes it has been abandoned and a small date ring has been used instead. There is no indication of filled winding holes near the centre so it would not be reasonable to argue that the dial and movement have been married. The dial was drilled for the four usual pillars just outside the calendar scribed ring but one of these drilled holes was not used as the pillar would have interfered with the tune change lever and so had to be fitted slightly further out. The case is deeper than most of its contemporaries and that is necessary to accommodate the nests of bells. It is likely that the rising hood was originally fitted with the sound frets on the top surface as there is no indication of a fret below the corniche and the bible back moulding appears to be quite correct.

This clock was illustrated and discussed in “The watch and clock maker December 10th 1933”. It can be seen from the illustrations at that time the clock was raised on a 18th century plinth, which has subsequently been rebuilt in the correct style.

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