Walnut Veneered Longcase Clock by Joseph Windmills
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Early 18th century
This early 18th-century longcase clock is attributed to the London maker Joseph Windmills. Housed in a walnut veneered case, the clock features a moulded top with a pierced sound fret backed by silk, situated above turned pillars with gilt capitals.
The trunk includes a concave throat moulding and a D-moulded, quarter-veneered door, supported by a crossbanded base and double plinth. The 12-inch square brass dial displays cast and gilt spandrels surrounding a silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals and Arabic five-minute markers. The matted dial center incorporates a subsidiary seconds dial and a date aperture, complemented by blued steel hands. The month-going movement is constructed with five knopped pillars and an anchor escapement, utilizing an outside countwheel to strike the hours on a bell.
The clock measures 2.21 meters in height and is supplied with a pair of brass-clad weights and a brass-clad pendulum.
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
- Longcase clock
- Maker
- Joseph Windmills
- Height
- 2.21 meters
- Duration
- One month
- Dial size
- 12-inch
- Escapement
- Anchor
- Case materials
- Walnut veneer
- Place recorded
- London, United Kingdom
- Movement features
- Five knopped pillars
- Striking mechanism
- Outside countwheel
- Maker / attribution
- Joseph Windmills
Design
- Visible features
- • Pierced fretwork in the hood • Quarter-veneered door panel • Gilt spandrels at dial corners • Blued steel hands
- Maker and Attribution
- Joseph Windmills was a significant figure in the London clock and watchmaking trade during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He became a Freeman of the Clockmakers' Company in 1671 and eventually served as its Master in 1702. His career involved maintaining high-profile timepieces, such as those at the Tower of London, a role he assumed in 1710 after the death of Thomas Tompion. The scholarly documentation of his work is supported by J. A. Neale's 1999 study, 'Joseph and Thomas Windmills, Clock and Watch Makers 1671–1737'. His professional timeline confirms that he remained active within the Clockmakers' Company until at least 1720, aligning with the early 18th-century dating of this object.
- Movement and Mechanics
- The clock is powered by a month-going movement, a feature that differentiates it from standard eight-day longcase clocks. The architecture of the movement includes five knopped pillars, which provide structural support. The timekeeping is regulated by an anchor escapement. The striking train is controlled by an outside countwheel mechanism, which strikes the hours on a bell mounted above the movement. The auction description reports that the clock is currently ticking and striking, and it is sold with a pair of brass-clad weights and a brass-clad pendulum, although the pendulum suspension is noted as broken.
- Case and Dial Construction
- The clock is housed in a walnut veneered case designed with traditional architectural elements. The hood features a moulded top with a pierced sound fret, which is backed by silk, and is supported by turned pillars with gilt capitals. The middle section of the case, or the trunk, utilizes a D-moulded, quarter-veneered door. This rests upon a crossbanded base set on a double plinth, reaching a total height of 2.21 meters. The 12-inch square brass dial serves as the visual focal point, featuring cast and gilt spandrels. The silvered chapter ring is engraved with Roman numerals and Arabic five-minute markers. The center of the dial is finely matted and houses a subsidiary seconds dial and a date aperture. The dial is signed 'Windmills, London' at the six o'clock position and uses blued steel hands for time display.
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: Pendulum suspension is recorded as broken
- Research required: Actual extent of original finish remains unverified