Bracket clock by Charles Gretton
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1680
This bracket clock was produced in London circa 1680 by the maker Charles Gretton. Standing 58.4 cm in height, the clock features an ebonised pearwood case with a domed top and an integrated handle chased with foliage.
The case sits upon brass paw feet and incorporates applied embossed ornaments on the door and inset panels at the sides. The brass dial is designed with an hour and minute circle, a central day of the month aperture, and two winding holes. It is flanked by chased cherubs' heads in the spandrels. The hour hand is pierced with a scrolled outline. The internal movement provides hour striking and a repeating function, and the back plate is engraved with scrolls and floral ornament.
The object includes its original engraved brass winding key and a separate steel door key. It entered the museum collection in 1932 as a gift from Robert N. Shaw.
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
- Date
- ca. 1680
- Type
- Bracket clock
- Maker
- Charles Gretton
- Height
- 58.4 cm
- Movement
- Hour striking and repeating
- Backplate
- Engraved and signed
- Provenance
- Robert N. Shaw
- Case material
- Ebonised pearwood
- Place recorded
- London
- Maker / attribution
- Charles Gretton
Design
- Visible features
- • Pierced hour hand with scrolled design • Chased cherub-head spandrels • Raised brass paw feet • Domed top with foliage-chased handle
- Case Construction
- The bracket clock is housed in an ebonised pearwood case measuring 58.4 cm in height, 27.3 cm in width, and 19.4 cm in depth. The structure includes a domed top surmounted by a foliage-chased loop handle. The front door is detailed with applied embossed ornaments, complemented by two inset panels positioned at the sides above glass sections. The entire housing rests upon brass paw feet. The exterior is designed with a mixture of dark-finished wood and decorative metal mounts. While internal museum records identify the wood as pearwood, historical correspondence from the time of acquisition occasionally referenced the case as ebony.
- Dial and Movement
- The brass dial displays an hour and minute circle, accompanied by a day of the month aperture. The hour hand is distinct for its pierced, scrolled outline. The dial is visually anchored by chased cherubs' heads positioned in each of the four spandrels. The movement provides for both hour striking and a repeating function. The internal mechanism is accessed via two winding holes on the dial. The back plate of the movement is decorated with engraved scrolls and floral ornament, and it bears the signature of the maker, Charles Gretton.
- Provenance and History
- The clock was presented to the museum in 1932 by Robert N. Shaw. Following its acquisition, the clock remained part of the collection and was later placed on long-term loan to the Privy Council Office between 1968 and 1998. The acquisition file includes detailed correspondence regarding the offer, which highlighted the maker's reputation as a master working from 'The Ship' in Fleet Street.
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 source notes a potential conflict regarding the wood type, describing the case as ebonised pearwood while internal correspondence refers to an ebony case.
- Research required: The exact extent of internal original components is not specified beyond the keys and movement signature.