Queen Anne Clock
A queen anne clock brings the quiet rhythm of the early eighteenth century into a room through rich walnut veneers and tall wooden cases.
Queen Anne Clock
A queen anne clock is primarily a tall longcase clock, often referred to as a grandfather, grandmother, or floor clock. These pieces span the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, alongside later revival interpretations from the twentieth century.
Materials and Construction
Cabinetmakers built the tall cases using native oak and pine as carcases, applying figured walnut, burr walnut, and occasionally seaweed marquetry veneers to the exterior surfaces. Brass and gilt metal featured heavily on the dial plates, spandrels, and chapter rings, while glass protected the dial face.
Movements relied on brass and steel wheels, pinions, and weights, housed within timber trunks designed to shield the pendulum and drop weights. Ebonised wood details and dark green lacquered finishes completed the decorative repertoire of the period.
Queen Anne Clock Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for queen anne clock among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
One historical maker held the official title of clockmaker to Queen Anne and George the First, ensuring royal timekeeping.
Quality and Distinction
The sophistication of the timber veneer work and the crispness of the brass dial casting separate standard examples from superior ones. Finely figured burr walnut surfaces and intricate marquetry demand greater skill from the cabinetmaker than plain or later secondary timbers.
The original integration of the movement with the case, alongside the presence of maker signatures on the dial, elevates an example. Pieces retaining their original brass furniture and untouched surface patination represent the upper tier of the range.
Henry Massy·Langley Bradley·Joseph Jackeman·Thomas Cartwright·Thomas Wroth·Thomas Deykin·John Culliford
The Queen Anne Clock Glossary
- Longcase clock
- A tall pendulum clock enclosed in a wooden case that stands directly on the floor. These items were developed in the late seventeenth century as movements became accurate enough to require long pendulums.
- Chapter ring
- The metal ring on a clock face that bears the hour numerals. On these pieces, it is typically silvered brass set against a brass dial plate.
- Spandrel
- The decorative corner ornament placed outside the chapter ring on a square or arched clock dial. They evolved from cast brass floral designs into more elaborate rococo patterns over time.
- Marquetry
- The art of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns and pictures. Seaweed marquetry uses intricate fine scrolls resembling seaweed fronds.
- Grandmother clock
- A smaller version of a longcase clock, usually produced in the twentieth century. These shorter floor clocks fit domestic spaces with lower ceilings while retaining traditional proportions.
Queen Anne Clock: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a grandmother clock?
A grandmother clock is a smaller, slender version of a traditional longcase clock. These scaled-down floor clocks generally date from twentieth-century revival periods.
They offer the classic proportions and dial layout of earlier tall clocks while fitting more easily into modern ceiling heights.
How do I spot a revival clock?
Revival pieces from the twentieth century typically display modern internal mechanics, such as tubular bells or electric movements, alongside cleaner internal woodwork. Examination of the timber ageing and screw types often reveals twentieth-century manufacture.
Materials and construction techniques differ noticeably from pieces built during the original early eighteenth-century reign.
What does walnut veneer mean?
Walnut veneer involves applying thin slices of figured walnut timber over a secondary wood carcase like oak or pine. This technique allowed cabinetmakers to display rich grain patterns across wide surfaces.
Quarter-veneering arranges four matching wood sections symmetrically to create intricate geometric patterns on the clock door.