Rare 17th Century William and Mary 10 Inch Ebonised Longcase/grandfather Clock

A rare, early English eight-day longcase clock signed on the chapter ring Aynsworth London, dating to the period c.1690-1700.

The elegantly proportioned ebonised case, formerly with rising square hood now sliding, is framed with convex mouldings and barley-twist columns. The trunk with mouldings to the door, lenticle and original hinges has a box base raised on bun feet.

The fine 10-inch square brass dial with a matted centre has an applied silvered chapter ring, subsidiary seconds dial under the XII, circular date aperture above the VI and fine unusual brass spandrels. The chapter ring is engraved with a narrow outer minute track within which are Arabic five-minute numerals, a central ring of Roman hours I-XII, lozenge-shaped half-hour markers and quarter divisions on the inside. There are three large letters in the matted centre: I W E. I and E are possible the initial letters of the names of a couple, whilst W might refer to a wedding, making the clock a wedding present. The time is indicated by a fine pair of period blued steel hands. The chapter ring is signed along the bottom edge Aynsworth London.

The weight-driven eight-day brass movement consists of going and striking trains. The going train has anchor escapement with a seconds pendulum, whilst the striking is regulated by an external count-wheel mounted on the backplate and indicates the hours fully on a bell. The pendulum has a brass-faced lead bob and the movement has contemporary brass-cased lead weights.

The maker

John Aynsworth was active as a clockmaker in the period 1680 to about 1710. Presumably, he lived with his wife Mary in the Parish of St Michael Cornhill, where he appears to have been a draper. Britten makes mention of a J. Aynsworth based in Westminster in the years 1645-1680, who was a lantern clock maker. Several longcase clocks, as well as lantern clocks by his hand are known.

Literature:

B. Loomes, The Clockmakers of Great Britain 1286-1700, Ashbourne 2014, p. 23

Britten’s Old Clock & Watches, ed. C. Clutton, G.H Britten & C.A. Ilbert, 9th edition, Chichester, 1982, p. 357.

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