Longcase equation and astronomical clock

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Title/s

Longcase equation and astronomical clock

Maker/s

Tompion, Thomas (maker) [ULAN info: English clockmaker, 1639-1713]

Braem, Jasper probably (case maker) [ULAN info: cabinet-maker, active c. 1677-96]

Category

clocks

Name

clock

School/Style

Baroque

Description

oak case veneered with olive wood and marquetry, with ormolu mounts. The movement is of a month duration and has an early form of anchor escapement. It was altered to incorporate an astrolobe shortly after being made.

Dial: gilt dial plate, 10 1/4 inches (26.0 cm) square and silver cherub spandrels. Narrow chapter ring with silver overlay, engraved I - XII twice, with the five minute numbers within the minute divisions and simple half hour markings. The day of the month is shown in a square aperture above the chapter ring. Signed at the base of the dial ‘Thomas Tompion, Londini Fecit'. The whole of the space inside the chapter ring occupied by an astrolabe disc or rete of gilt brass with two applied silver rings. The space behind the rete has lines of equal altitude above a curved horizon line, the empty space between painted in blue, and below it a partially obliter¬ated cartouche and the word ‘crepusculum'. This lower area had at some time been painted blue; this has now been removed. The minute hand of blued steel rotates once per hour and the hour hand, also of blued steel and with a gilt effigy of the sun, rotates once in 24 hours. The third hand, which bears an effigy of the moon, indicates lunar time. The astrolabe disc rotates once per sidereal day and has at its centre a dial which shows age and phase of the moon and high tide at London Bridge. The astronomical indications are discussed in some detail by Symonds. Movement: Month duration movement with four wheel trains necessitating an indirect drive to the minute hand as with many 30 hour longcase clocks (usually known as "shake minutes"). It is evident that the move¬ment was made for a conventional clock and was mod¬ified to accommo¬date the astrolabe dial; this is shown by the extensions to the plates, provided to carry the indirect winding, necessary to avoid the winding squares fouling the rete, and by spare dial feet holes behind the winding wheels. A very early movement, probably c. 1675-80, not of Tompion's usual quality and with the first form of anchor escapement with undercut front faces to the escape wheel teeth. Bolt type maintain¬ing power is pro¬vided but without shutters to the winding holes, these were probably removed when the movement was modified. It has the long crutch and oval section brass pendulum rod typical of Tompion's work. The movement is not numbered. Case: Oak carcase veneered with olive wood and with olive wood mouldings, with small panels of simple mar¬quetry probably c.1680. According to Dawson who restored the case some years ago, the centre panel in the trunk door is laid over signs of previous chopped-in inlay decoration. Trunk door full width between sides, with battens tongued and grooved, and reproduction hinges. Hood probably reconverted to slide up and with reproduction carved cresting said by Symonds to have probably been copied from the 30 hour Tompion case in Guildhall Museum. Replaced bun feet. Gilt metal Corinthian capitals and bases to plain hood columns and a gilt metal swag above dial opening.

Production Place

London (maker) (place)

England (maker) (country)

English (maker) (nationality)

Technique Description

oak case veneered with olive wood and marquetry, with ormolu mounts

Dimensions

height: (whole): 76½ in
height: (dial): 10¼ in
width: (case): 10¼ in

Period

late 17th Century
Charles II

Date

circa 1675 to 1680

Provenance

given: Prestige, Sidney Ernest 1947 (Filtered for: Applied Arts collection)

Mrs V.S. Knox, London; purchased by S.E. Prestige

Given by S.E. Prestige through the National Art Collections Fund

Inscriptions/Marks

1. name
   Position: base of dial
   Method: engraved
   Content: Thomas Tompion, Londini Fecit
   Language: Latin
   Translation: Thomas Tompion of London made it
   

Documentation

1. Symonds, R.W. (1951) Thomas Tompion, His Life and Work, London: Batsford [page: 122, 265]
   [comments: Publ. p. 22, figs. 14 and 15 and p. 265.]
2. (1982) Treasures of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (Cambs.): Pevensey Press [page: 150]
   [comments: Publ.]
3. The Fitzwilliam Museum (2000) Tempus, The Art of Time, Cambridge (Cambs.): The Fitzwilliam Museum
   [comments: Publ. Illustrated on front cover]
4. (2005) Treasures of the Fitzwilliam Museum, London: Scala [page: 150]
5. Evans, Jeremy (2006) Thomas Tompion at the Dial and Three Crowns, Ticehurst: Antiquarian Horological Society [page: 30, 33]
   [comments: Publ. p. 30, fig. 40, and p. 33, fig 47, the dial. See pp. 29-30 where the author attributes the case probably to Jasper Braem.]
6. Beard, Geoffrey (1986) Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Leeds (Yorks.): W.S. Maney & Son Ltd [page: 104]
   [comments: Ref. p. 104 for entry for Jasper Bream(e) (or Braem).]

Other Notes

Accession Number

M.21-1947 (Applied Arts)
(Reference Number: 98110; Input Date: 2004-01-13 / Last Edit: 2011-07-22)