Ebonised Quarter Repeating Table Clock by Richard Peckover
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1735
This George II period table clock is attributed to the maker Richard Peckover. The clock features an inverted bell-top case constructed from fruitwood with an ebonised finish, bound with gilt-brass mounts and topped with a knopped carrying handle.
The 7-inch square break-arch brass dial includes a silvered chapter ring, mask head spandrels, and three subsidiary dials for rise and fall regulation, strike/silent adjustment, and a calendar ring in the arch. The center of the dial is matted with an aperture for a false pendulum and a silvered, engraved cartouche signed "R. Peckover London". The internal mechanism consists of an eight-day twin fusee movement with five knopped pillars, a verge escapement, and a repeating mechanism striking the quarters on six bells and the hours on a single bell.
The back plate displays engraving with foliate scrolls, birds, and an urn, signed "Richard Peckover London".
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
- circa 1735
- Type
- Table clock
- Maker
- Richard Peckover
- Dimensions
- 18 1/2 inches (47cm) height with handle up
- Escapement
- Verge escapement
- Provenance
- Private collection U.K.
- Movement Type
- Eight-day twin fusee
- Dial signature
- R. Peckover London
- Place recorded
- England
- Maker / attribution
- Richard Peckover
Design
- Case and Dial
- The clock is housed in an inverted bell-top case finished with ebonised fruitwood veneer. It is decorated with gilt-brass mounts and features a gilded knopped carrying handle. The overall design follows the aesthetic conventions attributed to the workshops of Daniel Quare and Stephen Horseman. The dial is a 7-inch square break-arch brass design. It incorporates a silvered chapter ring alongside mask head spandrels. Additional features include three subsidiary dials for strike/silent and rise and fall regulation, with a silvered calendar ring positioned in the arch. The center is matted and features a false pendulum aperture and an engraved cartouche bearing the signature of the maker.
- Visible features
- • Gilded knopped carrying handle atop the inverted bell-top case • Silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals and three subsidiary dials • Five knopped pillars visible within the movement • Multiple service labels from Hart Bros. and Steinmann on the rear door interior
- Labels and Provenance
- The clock retains historical documentation through various labels affixed to the internal frame. Specifically, two labels from Hart Bros. Jewellers & Watchmakers, located in Muswell Hill, London, date to 1918, 1936, and 1940. A circular label for Steinmann, London, marked number 153, is also present on the left rear door jamb. Its historical production is linked to the transition of the business formerly held by Daniel Quare and Stephen Horseman, which Peckover is believed to have assumed in 1733.
- Movement and Mechanism
- The timepiece is powered by an eight-day twin fusee movement. It is constructed with five knopped pillars and employs an original verge escapement. The quarter repeating mechanism is designed to strike the quarters on a set of six graduated bells, with the hour struck on a separate bell. The back plate is decorated with engravings of foliate scrolls, birds, and urns. It is also signed by the maker, Richard Peckover, providing confirmation of the attribution for this internal component.
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 exact origin of the movement remains unverified, with the seller suggesting it might have been inherited from the Quare and Horseman workshop
- Research required: Attribution to Richard Peckover is based on the signed dial and backplate, though the construction design is associated by the source with Quare and Horseman