A 17th Century Lantern Clock, John Knibb of Oxford
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
17th century (before 1700)
This lantern clock case is attributed by the seller to John Knibb of Oxford and dated to the 17th century (before 1700). The brass case features corner columns, pierced foliate frets, turned finials, ball feet, and a bell surmounted by crossed straps.
The dial displays a silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals around an engraved gilt center signed 'John Knibb Oxon'. Originally built as a weight-driven movement, the clock is reported to have been fitted with a later Victorian Winterhalder & Hoffmeier (W&H) eight-day movement with twin winding arbors, striking the hours and half-hours.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Lantern clock
- Dimensions
- Height 40 cm, Width 18 cm, Depth 17 cm
- Place recorded
- England
- Attributed Maker
- John Knibb of Oxford
- Date Declaration
- Before 1700
- Adapted Mechanism
- Later Victorian W&H movement
- Maker / attribution
- John Knibb of Oxford
- Striking & Duration
- 8-day duration, strikes hours and half hours
Design
- Visible features
- • Front dial features a silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals and half-hour fleur-de-lis markers. • Central dial plate is engraved with foliate scrolls and inscribed in script 'John Knibb Oxon' in the upper half. • Two winding apertures are visible in the lower dial center, fitted with modern pierced hands. • A pierced scrolling fret surmounts the front plate below an arched bell canopy with crossed straps and a central brass finial. • The case rests on turned brass feet and features turned corner column pillars and finials.
- Adapted Mechanism
- Originally constructed as a weight-driven mechanism, the clock's movement has been replaced. The dealer states that a later Victorian movement by Winterhalder & Hoffmeier (W&H) has been adapted into the case. This adapted replacement is an 8-day duration movement that strikes the hours and half-hours on the overhead bell. The dealer notes that internal plates retain the openings where drive ropes originally passed, though the internal movement itself is not depicted in the primary frontal photograph.
- Dial and Case Description
- The clock case conforms to classic English lantern clock design, standing on turned feet and featuring turned corner column pillars below finials. The front plate is surmounted by a pierced scrolling fret beneath an arched bell canopy with crossed straps, holding what the seller describes as an original cast bell. The seller also notes side-opening doors enclosing the case sides. The dial features an engraved center decorated with scrolling foliate designs, inscribed 'John Knibb Oxon' in script across the upper portion. It is surrounded by a silvered chapter ring calibrated with Roman numerals and half-hour fleur-de-lis markers. In the lower center, two winding apertures have been cut into the plate to service the replacement movement, driving a pair of pierced hands.
- Attribution and Dating Context
- The seller dates the clock to the 'Before 1700' period and attributes it to John Knibb of Oxford. The listing references Brian Loomes's 'Lantern Clocks & Their Makers', citing Knibb as active from 1664 until his death in 1722. Because the original weight-driven movement has been replaced with a Victorian mechanism, technical evaluation of the maker's movement work is not possible from the listing. The John Knibb attribution rests on the dial signature, the surviving case elements, and the dealer's assessment of the piece as a 17th-century case.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The movement is not original; the dealer notes that a later Victorian W&H spring-driven mechanism was adapted into the case.
- Research required: The internal mechanism is not visible in the primary frontal photograph.