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Tall case clock

Dateca. 1700

Artist/Maker Thomas Tompion

OriginEngland, London

MediumEuropean walnut, oak, gilt bronze, brass, steel, silk, and glass

DimensionsCase H: 115 1/2"; OW: 24 1/4"; OD: 13 1/4"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1956-436,A&B

DescriptionAppearance: Burl walnut veneered on an oak carcass. Three-step sarcophogus top surmounted by a central gilt-metal figure of Minerva on a plinth bearing the gilt-metal ciper of Queen Anne flanked by two gilt-metal scrolls (proper right replaced) or "supporting brackets"; four gilt-metal finials of urns of flowers with silver festoons and ribbons surmount corner plinths with gilt-metal bowknots applied to their faces; two rows of gilt-metal pierced arabesque friezes or frets with silk backing (replaced silk- likely originally red silk) are applied to the first and second steps of the hood, the first step having additional placques with female faces at each end of frieze; square brass dial clock (see movement description) surrounded by a hinged door with gilt-metal moldings applied around interior edges of frame and elaborate escutcheon on proper right side of door; hood door flanked by engaged columns with gilt-metal capitals and bases; engaged columns with ditto at rear of hood; sides of hood have arched windows with gilt-metal pierced arabesque panels probably originally backed with red silk; complex molding with large cove molding between hood and trunk; large gilt-metal pierced scrolls applied into cove molding between hood and trunk at each corner; rectangular trunk door with gilt-metal escutcheon and applied gilt-metal molding around perimeter; cove molding at top of base and quarter round molding at bottom of base; stepped base with upper, smaller rectangular base and lower, larger rectangular base with moldings between; entire base rests on (and an inner oak section is inserted into) an iron frame with a gilt-metal base composed of scrolled feet and floral swags meeting at the center of the front skirt with a pair of cupids' heads; the entire clock stands on a separate wooden shaped base (not original).

Dial:
The 12”W x 12”H, 0.053” – 0.075” thick fire-gilt dial plate has matted central area equipped with applied silvered chapter and seconds rings. Cast spandrel ornaments are of pierced and chased gilt-metal arabesques with masks with engraved designs between spandrels at the top and sides; engraved at the bottom "THO. TOMPION LONDINI FECIT." There are two calendar apertures in the lower central area of the dial - the upper showing the name of the month with the number of days in the month above (automatically showing 29 for February every four years) and below, its symbol or sign of the zodiac and the date of the month upon which that sign commences in the Julian calendar; the lower aperture shows the day of the month for the correct number of days in each month throughout the four year cycle.

Movement:
Three month duration, highly polished brass time, strike, and calendar weight-driven movement with bolt-and-shutter maintaining power and perpetual calendar mechanism that automatically accounts for leap year. Movement plate shape is rectangular with quarter elliptical cutouts on both sides. Movement measures 9 3/8” H x 6” W at the top and 9 3/8”W at the bottom. Plate thickness is 0.103” and clearance between front and back plates is 2.7”. Clock has an anchor-recoil escapement regulated by a seconds beat pendulum. A rack-and-snail strike sounds the hours on a 3.35” diameter cast bell. The strike hammer head is pyramidal in shape.

Six brass pillars are riveted into the back plate and secured to the front plate via sliding latches on the front plate. The movement is secured to the seat board by a single steel seat board screw threaded into the bottom strike side movement pillar. The bottom time side pillar was filed on the outside to provide clearance for the time weight cord. The movement is fastened to the back of the case via a brass angle bracket which screws to an iron angle bracket. This is needed because the perpetual calendar mechanism located below the conventional motion work in front of the front plate makes the movement very front heavy. The brass time and strike mainwheel barrels are grooved for the weight cord management. The time mainwheel is 0.194” thick. The strike mainwheel is 0.210” thick. All time and strike train wheels have four-arm crossings as does the motion work. The round steel crutch-rod is joined to a closed-end flat steel fork via two pins through an inverted brass keystone. The pendulum bridge base is rectangular. It is fastened to the back plate with two screws and two locator pins in line with the screws. The bell stand is screwed to the outside of the front plate.

The seat board has a rectangular cutout for the pendulum to pass through. The overall length of the pendulum is 42.5”. The pendulum rod is brass. The bob is lead filled brass with a polished brass face. It is 3.6” diameter and 0.95” thick at its center. The pendulum is raised and lowered on the rod via a 0.6” diameter polished brass nut inscribed with Arabic numbers with a dot between the numbers marking half adjustments. The weights are cylindrical brass shells with cupped bottoms, flat tops, and brass protruding eyelets. They are both 3.2” diameter and 13 ¼” long. They weigh 40 pounds each.
Label TextThis is the most important clock in the Colonial Williamsburg collection and possibly in North America. It was made for William III of England and was owned by all succeeding English monarchs through Queen Victoria.

In style the clock resembles French classical Louis XIV work more than most other English furniture of its time. Perhaps the fire gilt mounts are the work of an émigré Huguenot craftsman. They are arranged on an extraordinary case which is veneered in the English tradition. The combination of walnut and gilding creates an exceptional work of art that balances the warm colors of the wood on flat surfaces with the brilliance of burnished gold on the sculptural ones. The hood, topped with a gilt bronze figure of Minerva and four fire gilt vases, completes the composition, resulting in an object of stately, baroque architectural quality.

The movement of the clock is signed "Tho. Tompion Londini Fecit." Recognized as one of the world's greatest clockmakers, Tompion provided this instrument with such advanced features as mechanical calculation for the allowance of leap years, automatic shutter bolt covers to disguise winding sockets, and three months operation on a single winding.
InscribedLower part of dial plate: "THO TOMPION LONDINI FECIT".

Scratched on back of chapter ring and on back of date wheel: Justin Vollimey (Vullimy or Vullimay, a 19th century clock-maker)" and "Mr. Jones."
MarkingsNone
ProvenanceEx Coll: The reigning monarchs from William III to Queen Victoria; Queen Victoria's cousin, the second Duke of Cambridge (grandchild of George III); Percy Webster; George Dunn, of Wooley Hall, Maidenhead; Percy Webster; D.A.F. Wetherfield; Mallet & Son; Francis P. Garvan; J.S. Sykes. Exhibited: Philadelphia Museum of Art. Made for William III in 1699 or later.

Exhibition(s)