English Longcase

This chart will give an approximate date for your
 painted dial longcase clock. 		 

Dating chart

Compiled by
Jon Kneebone.
 

  

Feature

  

Unusual

 Normal Period  

 Unusual  

Numbering        
Dotted Minutes     1770-1800 -1810
Minutes 5,10,15,20 etc     1770-1800 -1810
Minutes 15,30,45,60 only   1795 1800-1820 -1830
Minutes not numbered   1810- 1820-1870  
Hours in Roman Numerals     1700-1800 -1825
Hours in Roman Numerals     1825-1870  
Hours in Arabic Numerals   1795 1800-1820 -1830
Full Min Band   1800 1815-1870  
Single Handed Clocks (almost all Southern)   1770-1800    
Falseplates        
With   1770- 1780-1840 -1850
Without     1770-1790 -1840
Corners         
Spray of Flowers or Fruit     1790-1800 1870
Shell, fans, semi-geometrics   1785- 1795-1825 -1830
Ruins, churches, landscapes   1820- 1830-1870  
All white   1770- 1780-1820 -1830
Gold spandrel corners   1770 1775-1785 -1795
 Arch        
Name only     1770-1780 -1790
Birds/flowers on white ground     1770-1795 -1800
Vignette inset in white ground   1790- 1795-1815 -1820
Filled with painted scene   1795- 1820-1870  
Gold on silver background   1825- 1840-1870  
Luminous   1875- 1840-1870  
Swaying figures   1800- 1820-1840 -1845
Moon dial     1770-1830 -1870
Strike / silent feature     1770-1815 -1830
Shape / size         
Arched     1770-1870  
Square     1770-1825 1840
Circles   1790- 1800-1830 -1840
Width 10 ½ - 13 in     1770-1810 -1825
Width 13 – 15 in   1790- 1810-1870  
Date indicator        
None     1770-1870  
Pointer – steel   1770- 1790-1815 -1820
Pointer – brass   1805- 1810-1870  
Aperture – square box   1770-1790    
Aperture – curved     1770-1800 -1835
 Hands        
Non matching steel     1770-1790 -1800
Matching steel   1780- 1790-1815 -1825
Matching brass   1805- 1815-1870  
Non matching brass = replacement        

Feature

  

Unusual

 Normal Period  

 Unusual