A Rare 18th Century George II Musical Table Clock by Matthew King, C. 1735.

A rare George II musical table clock by Matthew King, c. 1735.

This unusual eight-day spring-driven table clock was made by Matthew King, who was active as a clockmaker in the second quarter of the 18th century.

The impressive five knopped pillar, triple fusee movement has a verge escapement with a short knife-edge suspended pendulum. It has quarter striking on a nest of eight bells. In addition, it plays one of two tunes on the hour, after which the hour is struck. The profusely engraved backplate and verge cock apron depict floral and scrolling leaf and vine patterns around a delicate signature cartouche: Mattw King LONDON.

The break-arch brass dial has a silvered chapter ring, a signature plaque to the arch, date aperture above the VI, and a mock pendulum aperture under the XII. The circular plaque in the arch is similarly signed as the backplate Mattw King LONDON. The chapter ring has Roman numerals within a narrow minute ring and outer Arabic five-minute track. It has lozenge-shaped half-hour and inner quarter hour divisions. There are two subsidiary dials in the top corners, the one of the left for strike/silent and the one on the right for selecting the tunes (RIGADOON or MINUET). The dial centre is finely matted and the corner spandrels are of a head and scroll design. The time is indicated by a fine period pair of pierced blued steel hands.

The ebonised pearwood-veneered oak case has an inverted bell top surmounted by a brass swinging carrying handle. It has a well-formed and returned top moulding and brass door edge mouldings to all sides, pierced circular red-silk backed brass sound frets over shaped glazed side panels, fretted front door quadrants also backed with red silk, and well-formed elaborated concave mouldings. The top is embellished by four brass finials on the corners

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