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The 
H o r o l o g i c a l  F o u n d a t i o n  

BRACKET CLOCKS

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Movement
Moon phase
19, 20, 22 Musical tunes
3 Repeater
Size & proportions
10 Spandrels
11 Strike silent option
Striking train
17, 1 Top of case
8 Winding hole

Basic aspects of a description

Inspiring descriptions

In the arch is a beautifully painted garden scene with houses alongside which overlook an estuary. A lady and gentleman are apparently hitting a ball between each other with their rackets whilst another lady and gentleman look on.

The back plate is delicately engraved and includes the maker's signature.

..the backplate profusely engraved with tulips and leaves.

.. and a beautiful florally engraved backplate. The brackets are also engraved.

..and a beautiful florally engraved backplate with a casket of flowers in the centre.

Superbly engraved back plate which is signed by the maker.

The classic and beautifully figured mahogany case has a breakarch top surmounted by three ball and spire finials resting on fluted wooden blocks.

There are four pineapple finials and attractive cast brass frets to the top corners of the front door which has a brass mould around its' inner edge and fluted front corners.

The sides of the case are glazed with a brass mould running around the edge of the circular upper and shaped lower apertures.

The clock rests on its' original brass bracket feet.

..extensively decorated with fine rococo ormolu mounts.

The inverted bell top case of ebony is finely proportioned and has brass pillars, feet and inlay ..

The inverted bell top case is of ebony on fruitwood and is finely decorated with brass and fretwork.

The carved case is quite outstanding.

The case is in the curvaceous style of this period with carved swags of leaves and a well carved pineapple finial, a very distinctive style which lasted for only ten years. The front of the clock has a flame veneer.

and has a raised chapter ring with outer Arabic minute numerals and inner Roman for the hours, between each of which are decorative half hour marks.

The raised engraved and silvered chapter ring employs roman numerals and bears the makers signature at 6 o'clock.

The minute divisions are engraved at the edge of the chapter ring, an early feature that was seldom used after 1690. 

The dial centre is matted and has a date aperture at 6 o’clock; the makers name plaque above this and a mock bob below 12 o’clock.

There is an engraved cartouche around the date aperture

..day of the month aperture within an engraved cartouche,

..The centre is finely matted with an aperture to view the day of the month and there is a strike/silent option above 12 o'clock.

The break arch brass dial is mounted with rococo spandrels.

The brass dial has an engraved and silvered brass chapter ring with quartering on it’s inner aspect and half hour marks which bears the maker’s signature on either side. The centre is matted with ringed winding holes . There is an engraved cartouche around the date aperture and the later form of cherub spandrels with flowers are employed. The well executed blue steel hands are original.

The 6½ ins square brass dial is mounted with a silvered chapter ring and winged cherub spandrels.

..square 8-inch dial with calendar and mock pendulum, strike/silent at IX, signed John Ingram Spalding fecit. Wheat ear engraving to border.

The dial centre is finely matted and the blued steel pointers are pierced and facetted.

The gilt dial with silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with sword-hilt half-hour markers, typical pierced blued steel hands, matted centre, finely chased winged cherub spandrels.

The 7" brass dial has well executed rococo spandrels, two of which flank the narrow strike/silent ring in the arch. This has a well-matted centre.

The engraved and silvered chapter ring has Roman hour and Arabic minute numerals.

There is an attractively shaped aperture with bevelled edges below 12 0'clock behind which is the makers' signature on a silvered plaque.

The dial centre is very finely matted and there is a date aperture above 6 o'clock.

The enamel dial and subsidiary dials set within a finely engraved gilt surround and bearing the makers signature which is repeated to the well engraved backplate.

The signed and numbered dial with subsidiary dials for strike/silent and rise/fall regulation and fine gilt scroll and cherub spandrels.

The silvered dial and the movement carry the serial number 2000 which dates the clock to 1859.

Fine, early painted dial bracket clock with rose corners, strike/silent to the arch.

There are subsidiary dials to the arch for strike/ silent and music/ silent.

Decorative escutcheons have been applied to the front and back doors,

The case, in bell top form, with canted corners and moulded brass feet.

The small ebony veneered case stands on ebonized bun feet adorned with gilt brass leaves.

The clock rests on its' original brass bracket feet.

The sides of the case, with carrying handles, have well executed silk backed gilded cast brass frets

There is a carrying handle on top and finials to the four corners.

The central finial on top rests on a block with frets to either side. There are four further pineapple finials to the top of the case.

The classic and beautifully figured mahogany case has a breakarch top surmounted by three ball and spire finials resting on fluted wooden blocks.

There are four pineapple finials and attractive cast brass frets to the top corners of the front door.

The central finial on top rests on a block with frets to either side.

..have well executed silk backed gilded cast brass frets.

There is fine fretwork to each side of the case to let out the sound of the chimes. (or bells)

..with four finials to the hood and frets to each side to release the sound of the music.

..and has a raised chapter ring with outer Arabic minute numerals and inner Roman for the hours, between each of which are decorative half hour marks.

The chapter ring has fleur-de-lis half hour marks

Cross half quarter markers.

.. and the blued steel pointers are pierced and facetted.

.. with a very beautiful pair of pierced gilt brass hands for the hours and minutes and pierced blued steel hand for the calendar indications.

The well executed blue steel hands are original.

Charles Cabrier is considered an outstanding maker and has examples of his work at The Royal Museum in Stockholm. He is also recorded as making a fine clock for the King of Peking.

A rare William & Mary, quarter repeating, spring bracket clock by the eminent maker Daniel Quare.

The backplate is beautifully engraved with tulips and includes the maker's signature within a lambrequin.

The dial centre is matted and has a date aperture at 6 o’clock; the makers name plaque above this and a mock bob below 12 o’clock.

James Tregent, a famous maker, is first recorded as working circa 1759 and was a member of the Clockmaker's Company from 1781 - 1808. He was watchmaker to the Prince of Wales.

An oval plaque carries the maker’s name.

14) There is an attractively shaped aperture with bevelled edges below 12 0'clock behind which is the makers' signature on a silvered plaque.

The raised engraved and silvered chapter ring employs roman numerals and bears the makers signature at 6 o'clock.

..a date aperture at the bottom and a curved silvered brass strip carrying the maker’s signature.

A William IV mahogany bracket clock c1835 by the noted London makers, Brockbank & Atkins.

The enamel dial and subsidiary dials set within a finely engraved gilt surround and bearing the makers signature which is repeated to the well engraved backplate.

Scalloped name plate.

The dial centre is matted and has a date aperture at 6 o’clock; the makers name plaque above this and a mock bob below 12 o’clock.

The clock also with a false pendulum aperture in the arch and makers signature below,

The twin fusée movement originally had a verge escapement, but has been altered to the later anchor escapement

The silvered dial and the movement carry the serial number 2000 which dates the clock to 1859.

The fine quality five pillar striking and repeating movement has a verge escapement and a beautiful florally engraved backplate. The brackets are also engraved.

..has a very fine six pillar three train movement with verge escapement and a beautiful florally engraved backplate with a casket of flowers in the centre.

The brass dial showing the moon's phases in the arch with the hemispheres on either side.

The 13" dial is a fine feature of the clock with the globe moon, half silvered and half blue, rotating in a recess in the arch surrounded by a turned brass ring. Immediately above it is a horizontally rotating lunar calendar and to either side dolphin spandrels.

There is a date aperture above 6 o’clock and tune selection lever at 3 o’clock.

The movement with 8 day duration and striking the hour and playing the selected dance from a choice of four melodies.

The tunes are March, Minuet, Gavotte, Jig and Garrotte, and played each hour on a carillon of 13 bells. They are engraved across the dial arch and selected by a sweep tune hand. 

.. with 4 finials to the hood and frets to each side to release the sound of the music.

Rare three train musical movement playing on a carillon of eight bells.

This fine carillon clock plays four airs on twelve bells once every hour.

There are subsidiary dials to the arch for strike/ silent and music/ silent.

An outstanding musical bracket clock by one of the most respected clockmakers of his time, specialising in clocks for the Turkish market and musical clocks in particular.

.. full quarter repeat on two bells via Tompion's single-cocked steel bar system with hinged levers and pull cords from either side.

The five pillar movement with verge escapement and pull quarter repeat on six bells

There are pull repeat cords for the hour strike and music.

The inverted bell top case of ebony is finely proportioned and has brass pillars, feet and inlay ..

.. finely chased winged cherub spandrels.

.. early spandrels retaining superb and original mercury gilding now worn through in the high areas.

The 7" brass dial has well executed rococo spandrels, two of which flank the narrow strike/silent ring in the arch.

There is an engraved cartouche around the date aperture and the later form of cherub spandrels with flowers are employed.

The main part of the dial employs female mask spandrels and has a raised chapter ring with outer Arabic minute numerals and inner Roman for the hours, between each of which are decorative half hour marks.

dial with dolphin spandrels in the arch flanking the strike/silent ring, which is decorated with engraving.

The corners of the dial have urn spandrels and the dial centre, which is well matted, has a  date aperture.

Indian mask spandrels.

Scroll and cherub spandrels.

The 7" brass dial has well executed rococo spandrels, two of which flank the narrow strike/silent ring in the arch.

The hours are sounded on a large bell and the quarters on a small bell

A rare and fine George III ebony veneered three train quarter striking racket clock.

The 8 day Dutch striking movement with verge escapement and phases of the moon.

Playing each quarter hour on four gongs and each hour on a single gong.

There are subsidiary dials to the arch for strike/ silent and music/ silent.

The bell top has a carrying handle and a brass mould interposed between its' upper and lower sections.

The impressive ebonised case has a bell top with a brass mould between the two tiers and below the bottom one. The central finial on top rests on a block with frets to either side. There are four further pineapple finials to the top of the case.

The bell top has a decorative mount to the front.

The classic and beautifully figured mahogany case has a breakarch top surmounted by three ball and spire finials resting on fluted wooden blocks.

Basic aspects
of a simple description

Sample descriptions.