Thomas Tompion gilt metal mounted ebony veneered quarter repeating table clock, Number 181
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1691
Maker / issuer
Thomas TompionThis late 17th-century English table clock, made circa 1691 by Thomas Tompion and identified by the source as workshop Number 181, is housed in an ebony-veneered case with a caddy top, tied-bud handle, sound frets, and glazed side apertures.
The 8 by 7 inch gilt brass dial features twin subsidiary regulation and strike/silent dials, winged cherub and scroll spandrels, a mock pendulum aperture, and a silvered chapter ring. The eight-day twin gut fusee movement utilizes seven latched pillars and a pivoted verge escapement, striking the hours and repeating quarters on bells.
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
- Type
- Bracket clock
- Maker
- Thomas Tompion
- Height
- 39 cm (15.5 inches)
- Dial Signature
- Tho: Tompion Londini Fecit
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Workshop Number
- 181
- Movement Mechanism
- Eight-day twin gut fusee with verge escapement
- Maker / attribution
- Thomas Tompion
Design
- Visible features
- • Ebony-veneered caddy-top case surmounted by a gilt tied-bud carrying handle • Gilt brass dial plate with silvered chapter ring, matted center, and twin upper subsidiary dials • Curved mock pendulum aperture situated directly above the center arbor • Foliate sound frets positioned above the dial and at the upper side case panels • Winged cherub-head spandrels mounted at the lower dial corners
- Case Construction
- The ebony-veneered case features a caddy top surmounted by a tied-bud carrying handle. The front door includes a silk-backed foliate scroll sound fret and harebell escutcheons, supported by a well-moulded cornice and a base with block feet. The side panels are fitted with rectangular glazed apertures and pierced wood frets. The rear door is constructed with a simple moulded edge and integrated lock.
- Movement Mechanism
- The eight-day twin gut fusee movement is secured to the dial via three latched feet. It features seven knopped and ringed latched pillars and a pivoted verge escapement. The movement strikes the hours on a large bell and repeats quarters on a smaller bell via pull cords. The rear plate is signed within a rectangular cartouche and decorated with foliate scrollwork and bell flowers.
- Dial and Ornamentation
- The 8 by 7 inch gilt brass dial features a matted center and is signed along the lower edge. It includes a silvered Roman and Arabic chapter ring with a minute track and 'meeting arrow head' half-hour markers. The dial layout incorporates a mock pendulum aperture and twin subsidiary dials for regulation and strike/silent selection. Ornamentation consists of winged cherub-head spandrels at the lower corners and scroll spandrels at the top.
Identification
- Serial number
- 181
- 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 states the engraved workshop number was expertly removed from the backplate prior to its modern recovery
- Research required: Movement details, rear plate signature, and latched pillars are not visible in the primary frontal photograph