TALL- LONG CASE / GRANDFATHER CLOCK: CASE STYLES: PRE 1860: A study.

[novicetimekeeper]

This thread was originally about cases, most of the cases shown have been quite late, mine are around early to middle for longcase and I only have provincial clocks. I like square brass dials with flat tops or caddy tops. I have 7 longcase clocks but only 4 cases.

I have three of them here

This one I bought as case only, it had been married to an 8 day clock but it seems to be a 30 hour case. I'm currently repairing it to house a penny moon though this case is from the South it doesn't look too out of place for a Northern clock. Detached door pillars. Mid 18th or later. Oak case with some inlay decoration.




This next one is another southern provincial case, this time movement and case belong together. Though a 30 hour single hander it actually has a real fret not a blind fret and side windows on the hood. A lovely oak case in great condition, the hood has been rebuilt and I think the door pillars are not original but it all looks like it should be together. It has the most remarkable plank for a backboard, smooth as anything on the inside as rough as anything on the back. I love this case for its proportions, stands in my bedroom and the ticking sends me to sleep.



The last was my first. A Kent case from around 1720/1730 it is a reddish tinted oak. You can clearly see the black staining from the reaction of the oak with the iron nails. I would say the case has been cut down a bit but otherwise everything is right. I love the caddy top. This one, though a more upmarket clock, has a blind fret. The caddy top has later holes drilled in the top to make it louder.
xyzzytom_269549 xyzzytom_269548

 

[fair city]

I know it's a long time to post a reply to a post from 2015. Masonic asked about a backwards seconds hand. When I was given as a present, the book: Some thoughts on Grandfather Clocks, I realized it was written by Laprade, who started this thread, so I managed to contact him through the publisher, and asked him about the backwards seconds hand. He said the the majority of 30 hr clocks have a limited number of wheels for economy's sake. There are 30 hr clocks that do have original correct seconds hands, but the wheel arrangements are different. He said, to have adapted Masonic's friend's clock, it would have required a complete new escape wheel abour, and he thinks that it was done originally, probably at the request of the original purchaser.

I was going to post a pine grandfather clock, supposedly from Dublin, but I found out, via the book, at first, that the Dublin seller's name was faked. I sent it back to the seller!! The dial was from Birmingham, but it had a problem with its calendar wheel, which had some of its teeth cut away. This was caused by the hour wheel pipe being too thick and had no advance pin, and to make the calendar wheel not jam on the pipe, a section of its teeth were cut off!!. The movement didn't look as if it had new holes drilled for another face, so I assumed the snail and hour pipe were some sort of bad repair.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

62 tooth datewheels often seem to have problems. The teeth are very small which limits the amount of engagement, so it doesn't take much for them to stop working.You see them on 8 day and 30 hour clocks but when a 30 hour dial is refitted with an 8 day movement the date wheel will often be in the way.

 

[Rockin Ronnie]

I don't think I saw any Hugh Gordon tall-case clocks so I thought I'd add this to the thread. This is a Hugh Gordon time and strike clock. Hugh Gordon was working in Aberdeen, Scotland from 1748-90. He had previously worked in Edinburgh and London. He was a very proficient clock-maker but little of his work seems to have survived according to my research. This example and was likely made between 1760 to 1770 judging by the design of the spandrels.

It features a second hand just below the 12 o'clock position and a single date aperture just under the hour pipe. It is a very nicely proportioned 3-box clock with a tall centre throat and pagoda-styled top bonnet; the centre engraving is a feature of the Scottish clocks of the latter part of the 18th century as is the box calendar opening (date aperture), side glass on either side of the hood and doped canvas top cover. These clocks also tend to be not overly tall at about 7'.

It is my feeling that it is missing one top finial and the left and right finials. Close inspection reveals that either none originally existed or the mounting holes were covered over by a later canvas re-application. The chapter ring and dial centre would have been silvered at one time and likely rubbed off with over-polishing over the years. The hour hand looks about right but the original minute hand would have had a serpentine design in keeping with the hour hand.

Ron

 

[laumeg]

Hi, Since several people have found the book, "Some thoughts on Grandfather Cocks" helpful, I thought I would list some contact information. He can be gotten by email: culturegap@sfr.fr I have had contact with him over several years regarding some entries in the book. Charles

 

[isgus]

I have just acquired virtually the same case. I will post pics later if you would like. Mine does have a 30 hour single weight movement. I have been trying to do some research to date it and was about to post it here for assistance.

This thread was originally about cases, most of the cases shown have been quite late, mine are around early to middle for longcase and I only have provincial clocks. I like square brass dials with flat tops or caddy tops. I have 7 longcase clocks but only 4 cases.

I have three of them here

This one I bought as case only, it had been married to an 8 day clock but it seems to be a 30 hour case. I'm currently repairing it to house a penny moon though this case is from the South it doesn't look too out of place for a Northern clock. Detached door pillars. Mid 18th or later. Oak case with some inlay decoration.

 

[isgus]

Adding pics. I will get one of the entire case for comparison.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

Adding pics. I will get one of the entire case for comparison.

This might have been better with its own thread as it isn't about the case, however your clock appears to be early 19th century. You haven't shown us much of the case, it appears to be quite light in colour, I don't know if that is because of restoration or it being not as old as the clock,

The movement seems to be wedged up, not sure if this is an original seatboard, how does the dial sit in the mask, is it a good fit? The dial appears to be missing the calendar wheel, it is possible to replace these. I have never seen hands like that before on a painted dial clock, I think they are probably later do they show signs of being modified to fit the movement?

The weight is unusual too, reminds me of a sashweight, how heavy is it?

 

[isgus]

My apologizes, it was the case that caught my attention. Mine is much lighter. The movement is wedged up a little which makes me believe that it was done to fit it in the case. The dial does fit perfectly in the mask. It is also missing the calendar wheel which I am sourcing. The hands fit perfectly as well and don't appear to have been modified at all. The tip of the minute hand is missing which I just noticed is not visible in the pic. Here is the whole case.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

That's a much shorter door which fits with the suggested age. It is very light, and I think the plinth looks like it may have been replaced, it doesn't appear to match the rest of the case.

I've never seen a case quite like yours, but then my interest is in clocks a hundred or more years before this and styles change.

I do have a clock from Kettering though, funnily enough it is currently in that case but only as a place to put it while it awaits attention. This is it in its own case.


xyzzytom_269514

 

[fair city]

Ron, the minute hand is from an American wall clock.

 

[Rockin Ronnie]

Yes, the design of the minute hand is quite different than the hour hand. Interesting observation.



Ron

 

[Enavance]

I discovered this thread recently and would like to introduce my painted dial longcase.

I purchased it in 1969, when I was just 20. It was the first time I met an English longcase clock and I immediately fell in love with this one, far more beautiful than the fir or pine cases Morbier clocks I was acquainted with.

The seller, a Swiss dealer, thought that it was from the end of the 18th century, but since then we have learnt a lot about these old clocks and I would date it around 1815.

It is not signed, but the false plate is engraved Walker and Hughes Birmingham, as are the moon and the calender discs. Based on its general appearence, I think that it comes from northern England. The case is solid mahogany, veneered with mahogany. Even the seatboard looks like a piece of mahogany. In my opinion, except for the finials, this clock is entirely original. I had the hands regilded.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

Since I contributed to this thread I have acquired a mahogany cased longcase. I never thought I would as my interest is in earlier clocks but this one was made just a short distance from our home, and in the town where I went to school.

Although I only bought this for the local connection I have to say it is a cracking case.

Joseph Bowles, Wimborne, Late 18thC longcase

 

[jmclaugh]

I discovered this thread recently and would like to introduce my painted dial longcase.

I purchased it in 1969, when I was just 20. It was the first time I met an English longcase clock and I immediately fell in love with this one, far more beautiful than the fir or pine cases Morbier clocks I was acquainted with.

The seller, a Swiss dealer, thought that it was from the end of the 18th century, but since then we have learnt a lot about these old clocks and I would date it around 1815.

It is not signed, but the false plate is engraved Walker and Hughes Birmingham, as are the moon and the calender discs. Based on its general appearence, I think that it comes from northern England. The case is solid mahogany, veneered with mahogany. Even the seatboard looks like a piece of mahogany. In my opinion, except for the finials, this clock is entirely original. I had the hands regilded.

Blimey this thread is a blast from the past. The dial of your clock suggests the period 1800-1830 and the clock is a nice example of its type. One source has Walker & Hughes making clock dials circa 1811-35 so based on that I'd say you're unlikely to be much out with 1815.

 

[Enavance]

Blimey this thread is a blast from the past. The dial of your clock suggests the period 1800-1830 and the clock is a nice example of its type. One source has Walker & Hughes making clock dials circa 1811-35 so based on that I'd say you're unlikely to be much out with 1815.

I discovered this thread recently and would like to introduce my painted dial longcase.

I purchased it in 1969, when I was just 20. It was the first time I met an English longcase clock and I immediately fell in love with this one, far more beautiful than the fir or pine cases Morbier clocks I was acquainted with.

The seller, a Swiss dealer, thought that it was from the end of the 18th century, but since then we have learnt a lot about these old clocks and I would date it around 1815.

It is not signed, but the false plate is engraved Walker and Hughes Birmingham, as are the moon and the calender discs. Based on its general appearence, I think that it comes from northern England. The case is solid mahogany, veneered with mahogany. Even the seatboard looks like a piece of mahogany. In my opinion, except for the finials, this clock is entirely original. I had the hands regilded.

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Had the opportunity to take a photo of the front plate layout of this clock recently : definitely a movement made by the Harlow manufactory in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

Funny this should appear again now, I was only looking at my Mahogany longcase this morning and thinking that really is a cracking case, I was very lucky to find such a good local clock.

 

[Rattenborough]

Well after reading through all the threads, on this post, I realise I am a little late putting pictures up of my flat top longcase.
It has a early feature of calendar dial in the arch, the works & dial belong to each other & I beleive the clock to be early first quarter of the 1700's.
The clock is about 6 feet 10 inches tall, the base around the plinth, has been altered, before I bought it.I can see the reason being rot, caused by damp floors.
Brian Loomes told me, that the maker Thomas Davenport is from my home town, & that he was apprenticed to Philip Antrobus
It has a origional oak backboard, also a lenticle in the door, & glass windows in the side of the hood.
The hood door pillars are attached to the door.
There are all the signs of a early dial, the ring turned winding holes, the matting to the dial, the diamond half hour markers, & in the minute dial between 50 to 55 is a small cross showing the seven & a half minutes this cross is repeated between 5 & 10, 20 & 25 & 35 to 40.
The quarter hours marked on the inner of the chapter ring. All good signs of early dials.
The works have all the origional arbors & early domed colletts.

Hi Jezster18, I read your post - more than eleven years after it has been written. But compared to the age of our longcase clocks this might be neglectable I hope you are doing fine and you still enjoy your very nice longcase clock. I am writing to you because me too I just purchased a longcase clock in Hamburg made by Thomas Davenport and was delighted to see your photos and his name on the dial. Attached you will find some photos of the clock in its oak case with "tea box" hood. Do you know more about Davenport? You mentioned your talk with Brian Loomes on Davenport and your hometown which according to Loomes´ last registry of clockmakers seems to be Chesterfield / Derbyshire where he was mentioned around 1770. Looking forward to hear from you!

 

[Jezster18]

Hi Jezster18, I read your post - more than eleven years after it has been written. But compared to the age of our longcase clocks this might be neglectable I hope you are doing fine and you still enjoy your very nice longcase clock. I am writing to you because me too I just purchased a longcase clock in Hamburg made by Thomas Davenport and was delighted to see your photos and his name on the dial. Attached you will find some photos of the clock in its oak case with "tea box" hood. Do you know more about Davenport? You mentioned your talk with Brian Loomes on Davenport and your hometown which according to Loomes´ last registry of clockmakers seems to be Chesterfield / Derbyshire where he was mentioned around 1770. Looking forward to hear from you!

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Hello Rattenborough,
I'm really happy to see your clock, it is the only other davenport I've seen, I sold mine to a local collector & then about 4 years ago I saw it again at a local clock repairers, your clock is in a nice georgian case with cady top & bullseye lenticle & inlaid star in the door.
The dial is quite transitional, as you still have the matted centre & ring turned winding holes, your chapter ring is still showing the quarter hours & the tails of the numbers are not very long, the date wheel & seconds in the top of the dial appear to me, to date your clock around 1740 to 1750 as ring turned winding holes & the quarter hour inner ring on the chapter ring start dissapearing after 1750. & the tails on the end of the numbers start being longer, the spandrels on the corners are of the period as well & the case, in my opinion.
I will see if I can go through my notes & see if I can find anymore information for you & update you.
I originally imported my Thomas Davenport from Denmark, I used to buy lots of clocks from their, but the cost of transportation eventually was too much for me.
Do you have pictures of the movement please as it will help to date the clock better, although Chesterfield Derbyshire would be a provincial town & it took clock makers time to catch up with fashion from London & so it depended at times on what a buyer would pay for the design of the clock.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

I recently bought a clock in Denmark as it was small enough to post, but I've otherwise had to give up buying clocks in Europe since Brexit.

 

[Jezster18]

Please excuse my spelling mistakes in my post, I cannot edit it, I was tired when I responded & meant there not their & caddy top not cady.

novicetimekeeper, I used to have the clocks I bought collected & crated & flown over, then when the price went up, I had them transported by road from all over Denmark. I also used to buy a lot of vienna wall clocks from Germany.
As you say the Brexit effect has put paid to buying the clocks from Europe, as 9/11 stopped me from sending to the USA, due to the extra costs.
The only saving grace at this moment, is that prices have fallen through the floor here & so I have picked up a few bargain buys & will see if things recover eventually in the UK.
I'm happy that Rattenborough though has found a nice looking clock & it's another one saved. I look forward to seeing pictures of the movement.
I have lost the pictures of all of the clocks I've had, due to my laptop needing to be reset & I had not backed them up at the time & lots of information I had stored.