Early 17th-century English lantern clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1615
This early seventeenth-century English lantern clock, dated by the dealer to 1615 and stylistically compared to the work of London clockmaker Robert Harvey, is constructed of brass and iron.
It features a six-inch chapter ring with Roman numerals, an inner quarter-hour track, and a single tailed iron hand. The dial centre is engraved with foliate fronds around an unengraved central area intended for an alarm setting disc. Surmounting the frame are three cast brass frets beneath a bell supported on cross straps. Converted from a balance wheel to a verge escapement with short pendulum, the movement incorporates countwheel striking on the top-mounted bell.
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
- 1615
- Type
- Lantern clock
- Materials
- Brass and Iron
- Dimensions
- 15 1/2" high x 5 7/8" deep x 5 3/4" wide
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Chapter ring size
- 6 inches diameter
- Maker / attribution
- Robert Harvey
- Escapement conversion
- Converted from balance wheel to verge with short pendulum
Design
- Visible features
- • Front-facing view of a brass lantern clock with a single iron hand pointing past the four o'clock position. • A decorative pierced and engraved brass fret is positioned directly above the dial plate. • A bell surmounts the top, suspended beneath four curved bell straps terminating in a central turned finial. • The dial plate shows foliate engraving in the center, flanked by turned corner pillars with turned feet.
- Condition and Attribution
- The clock is unsigned, though the dealer suggests it resembles the work of Robert Harvey based on stylistic similarities. The dial plate has blank spaces in the lower corners where a signature was not applied. The clock is incomplete, missing its alarm mechanism, setting disc, doors, iron backplate, pendulum rod and bob, chains, and weights. Several components, including the top finial, bell, bell carrier, and the back-left finial, are identified as replacements.
- Movement and Modifications
- The movement is stated to have a duration of 9, 12, or 15 hours and utilizes separate winding sprockets for the two trains. It was originally equipped with a balance wheel escapement, which has been converted to a verge escapement with a short pendulum. The movement includes tapered, un-colleted arbors and countwheel striking on a top-mounted bell supported by a cross strap.
- Construction and Dial Configuration
- The clock is constructed from brass and iron. It features a thinly beaten dial plate with foliate engraving in the center and a blank area intended for an alarm setting disc. A six-inch diameter chapter ring features broad Roman numerals, an inner track with alternate shaded divisions, and line-and-star half-hour marks. The clock uses a single tailed iron hand. The frame includes turned, tapered pillars with ribbed feet and urn finials, surmounted by three cast brass frets.
Identification
- Reference
- as1197a124 / AA14529
- 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: Attribution to Robert Harvey is speculative and not confirmed by a signature.
- Research required: The seller reports missing side doors, iron backplate, alarm mechanism, pendulum, weights, and chains, as well as replacement bell, bell carrier, top finial, and rear left finial.