M C Taylor Clocks

Description

An extremely attractive Georgian bracket clock with its bracket and an unusual escapement by John Seddon, that can be mounted upon its wall bracket or upon a table.

The very large and substantial double gut fusee, 5 pillar movement with an unusual Anchor Recoil escapement whereas the small anchor pallets are operated not by teeth on the escape wheel but rather, horizontal pins set through the wheel rim (the wheel has no teeth). The movement also has rack striking of the hours on a top-mounted bell and quarter repeating with 2 hammers on a further, higher pitched bell. The light pendulum with a lenticular bob has a sprung transit holdfast on the backplate. The suspension spring runs through 'chops' on the back cock and hangs from a pivoted arm mounted upon a 'rise and fall' regulation carriage that spans the plates. The movement also has a strike/non strike facility.

Behind a 6 1/2" wide, brass break-arch dial with cast brass 'Indian's head' corner spandrels and a silvered chapter ring with outer Arabic 5's, divided minute track and inner, Roman hour numerals. The centre is finely matted and the original hands are pierced blued steel. The arch bears 2 subsidiary silvered chapters for the regulation and strike/silent operations. Theses too have finely matted centres and blued steel 'poker' hands. Nestled between the tops of these is the silvered and shaped maker's cartouche bearing the name "John Seddon. LONDON".

Contained in a very handsome oak case veneered with ebonised fruitwood. It has an inverted bell top that is surmounted by a cast brass swinging handle. The returned all-round top moulding sits over the full-size, locking front door. This has moulded sides that terminate in lambs ears. The upper quadrants have wooden sound frets backed with red cloth and the glazing is framed with cast brass, quadrant. Below the door is again, an all-round short plinth with moulded top and sits upon 4 short and moulded block feet. The case sides have conforming and circular sound frets over rectangular glazed apertures and have brass quadrant framing. The rear of the case also has moulded side edges and a locking door with a break-arch glazed panel with further brass quadrant and 2 quarter panels. The repeat cord having a turned brass knob exits from the right lower side and finally, the clock can sit upon its well-shaped and ebonised, 3 tiered, solid oak bracket with a moulded captive edge and brass moulding.

Originally, these clocks could be carefully carried from room to room still ticking as to not lose any time because of their very robust escapement or more importantly, carried to the bed chamber at night where the silent option would be selected so the sleeper would not be awoken at each and every hour. If the time was required then the repeat cord would be tugged and the previous hour and quarters would be sounded.

John Seddon is recorded as working in St. James Street, London from 1743 until 1752. This clock looks absolutely fabulous on the wall and would be a true centrepiece for any room. The little known clue that tells us it was made to sit upon a wall bracket is the fact that there is no engraving to the backplate - it would be of no use because it would never be seen also, the financial saving on manufacture would have been substantial.