Longcase clock by Samuel Fish
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1770
This longcase clock is attributed to the London maker Samuel Fish and dates to circa 1770. It features a mahogany case with flame veneers on the trunk door and base panel, further detailed with mahogany mouldings.
The trunk displays canted corners equipped with brass-inlaid, capped reeded columns, while the pagoda-style hood is topped with three brass finials and features brass-capped reeded columns at the front and brass-capped columns at the rear. The brass dial is adorned with cast spandrels, a matted center, a date aperture located above the 6 o'clock position, and a recessed seconds dial. A strike/silent subsidiary dial is positioned above the 12 o'clock mark.
The eight-day movement utilizes five knopped pillars and strikes the hours on a large bell. The clock includes a brass pendulum bob and two brass-cased weights, with one weight noted as having sustained loss to its brass casting.
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 1770
- Type
- Longcase clock
- Maker
- Samuel Fish
- Height
- 267cm
- Strike
- Strikes on a bell
- Movement
- Eight-day, five knopped pillar
- Case material
- Mahogany with flame veneers
- Place recorded
- England
- Maker / attribution
- Samuel Fish
Design
- Visible features
- • Strike/silent subsidiary dial in the arch • Brass finials on pagoda hood • Canted corners with reeded columns • Date aperture above 6 o'clock
- Case Construction
- The clock is housed in a mahogany case featuring flame veneer panels on both the trunk door and the base. The trunk section incorporates canted corners, which are decorated with brass-inlaid and capped reeded columns, set upon a double-footed plinth. The pagoda-shaped hood includes brass reeded, capped columns at the front and brass-capped columns at the rear. The assembly is surmounted by three brass finials and includes a lateral glass aperture intended for viewing the internal mechanism.
- Dial and Indication
- The brass dial is decorated with cast spandrels and a matted center. It displays a silvered chapter ring and a recessed seconds dial. A signature plaque explicitly attributes the work to Samuel Fish of London. Additional functionality is provided by a date aperture positioned above the 6 o'clock marker, alongside a strike/silent subsidiary dial situated in the arch above the 12 o'clock position.
- Movement and Condition
- The movement is an eight-day, five-knopped pillar design. The striking train utilizes a large bell mounted above the movement. The clock is accompanied by two brass-cased weights and a brass pendulum bob. The auction description reports that one of the brass-cased weights has lost the majority of its exterior brass casting.
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: One brass-cased weight is missing most of its casting
- Research required: Provenance limited to a private UK collection