Hooded wall clock with calendar
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1660–65
The Metropolitan Museum of Art documents this English hooded wall clock with calendar, dated to approximately 1660–65 and made by London clockmaker Ahasuerus I Fromanteel.
According to the museum, the piece demonstrates the early English adoption of pendulum regulation, uniting a traditional verge escapement with a short pendulum derived from Christiaan Huygens' invention. The clock features an architectural black hooded case with a triangular pediment, gilt finials, columns, and a winged cherub mount. The dial displays a silvered chapter ring with a calendar aperture above VI, driven by twin weights suspended below.
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. 1660–65
- Type
- Hooded wall clock
- Maker
- Ahasuerus I Fromanteel
- Escapement
- Verge escapement with short pendulum
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Maker / attribution
- Ahasuerus I Fromanteel
Design
- Visible features
- • Black architectural wooden hood featuring a triangular pediment, three gilt top finials, and flanking black columns with gilt capitals and bases • Square brass dial plate with pierced cherub spandrels, silvered Roman numeral chapter ring, two winding holes, and a square calendar aperture positioned directly above VI • A gilt winged cherub head applied within the pediment tympanum and a smaller gilt mount beneath the lower apron • Two cylindrical brass driving weights suspended below the wall bracket via cords and grooved pulleys
- Mechanism and Regulation
- The clock utilizes a traditional verge escapement, regulated by a short pendulum derived from the invention of Christiaan Huygens. Power is provided by two cylindrical brass driving weights suspended by cords and grooved pulleys beneath the wall bracket.
- Dial and Calendrical Features
- The brass dial plate is square and embellished with pierced cherub spandrels. The time is indicated on a silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals. The dial includes two winding holes and a square calendar aperture positioned directly above the VI numeral.
- Case Construction and Decorative Elements
- The object features a black architectural hooded case characterized by a triangular pediment. Decorative elements include three gilt top finials and flanking black columns with gilt capitals and bases. Ornamentation is observed on the pediment, where a gilt winged cherub head is applied within the tympanum, and on the lower apron, which features a smaller gilt mount.
Identification
- Reference
- 1974.28.93
- Accession Number
- 1974.28.93
- 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: Source text is a thematic collections essay discussing multiple historical horology objects rather than an individual collection record page
- Research required: Movement plates, verge escapement, and pendulum assembly remain enclosed within the hood case and are not visible in the photograph