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Ref: CK - 5 Longcase Clock

Clockmaker/By : Iohn Clark.

Duration : 8 day.

Circa : 1750.

Height : 86 inches.

Case :
Oak case with swan neck pediments set against a boxed hood surround.
Country origin fretwork below swan necks each side of hood door arch.
Turned pillars to hood and repeated to rear.
Long cross banded trunk door with arch top and matching arch top panel in base.
Ogee feet to base.
Width at widest point 20 ins (hood).

Dial :
12" x 16" brass dial with penny moon disc to arch and lunar month indicator.
Dolphin spandrels in arch and small Indian head style spandrels to dial.
Silvered chapter ring with half hour indicators, seconds chapter ring, matted dial centre with circular box date aperture and ringed winding holes.
Matching steel hour, minute hand and second hands.
Roman numerals.

Maker :
There were a considerable number clockmakers by the name of John Clark(e) who could have made this clock and the fact that this maker did not state his location town makes the task of identifying him all the more difficult.

The practice of spelling a Christian name as Iohn largely ceased in 1634 when the letter J was first published in England. Following the invasion of England by William the Conqueror the French name Jean came to be pronounced as John although it was formerly spelt as Iohn. In old England Latin was used for the written word.

Based on photographs and documents of a lantern clock of early 1700's also engraved 'Iohn Clark' it is believed that this longcase was made by the lantern clockmaker. The basis for this suggestion is that the engraved style of the letters and capitals are almost identical and both are positioned between VII - V - VI. Neither dial shows a place name and both have matted centres and half - hour markers. In addition the lantern dial appears to have originally been intended for a longcase as it was very large and had had its four mounting pins cut off flush on the back of the dial.

Another possibility is that there were a father and son of the same name who spelt their Christian names with the Latin ' I ' and did not use their place name but this seems a little remote.

There was a John Clark who did not always sign his clocks with a place name but he was born after this clock was made.

Guarantee : 12 months.