Rare Musical Clocks

William Hunter of London

c. 1770

Height 17½" (exc. handle)  

Price: £22,500

A rare musical bracket clock with finely engraved brass dial having flower corners and decorative urn to the arch, with sweep tune  band - the tunes engraved to the arch top:-

The tunes are played each hour on a carillon of 10 bells and striking each hour on a single bell.

The back plate is fully engraved to a very high standard.  The verge movement has pull repeat cords for music and hour strike.

The inverted bell top case of ebony is finely proportioned and has brass pillars, feet and inlay with 4 finials to the hood and frets to each side to release the sound of the music.

A rare Disc Symphonium Longcase clock

c 1880    Height 92"   Price: P.O.A.

The walnut case of fine quality has a full collection of large discs stored in it's cabinet base.

The German movement has been superbly restored and has outstanding sound quality, retaining it's original penny-in-the-slot system.

---

 

NEW~NEW~NEW

Banks of Leicester 

c. 1820

Height 92½"

Price:- P.O.A.

A fine three train quarter chiming and hour striking clock with subsidiary date and seconds and the phases and age of the Moon to the arch.

The mahogany case of outstanding quality is inlaid and has fine and unusual carving to the hood and trunk.

 

---

     

J McDonald of Edinburgh

c. 1850      

Height 88”

Price:- P.O.A.

 

A rare musical and automaton flute clock, the painted dial signed J McDonald Edinburgh, having musicians to each corner, and a couple dancing in a garden to the arch centre,  Each side of the arch there is a bandstand with a flute player.

The music plays each hour and the flute players move and lift their flutes.  The eight tunes are produced on twenty pipes.  The massive wooden pin barrel is mounted horizontally to the rear of the eight day movement which has 30 hammers, the clock also strikes each hour.  The music train is wound by a large crank key located on the side of the movement which houses the tune change lever and the tune list.  There is also a music repeat button on the clock dial.

The flame mahogany case is outstanding, with brass capitols, a side door to the hood to enable winding and adjustment to the movement.  A rare and very fine clock.

---

John Barnish of Rochdale

c. 1800            Height 92”

Price:- P.O.A.

A rare musical and moon phase clock.  The painted dial is outstanding with Hope Charity to the dial centre and 4 seasons to the corners.  There is a subsidiary dial for tunes which are played on a carillon of 8 bells.  Each hour being struck on a separate bell.

The 4 tunes are – Daniel Copper, Rakes Mellor, 104^th Psalm and Bonny Lad.

To the arch is a town scene with a wagon and horses depicting Rockdale as it was.  Above this is a most unusual small rolling moon showing the phases and lunar age.

The flame mahogany case is of fine quality with bamboo style pillars to the trunk, gothic door and brass capitols to the hood with boxwood inlay and dental moulding to the swan necks.

---

 Dennet of St. Helens   c. 1830

Height 90"   Price: P.O.A.

A very rare three-train, quarter-chiming clock by this excellent maker.  

Four seasons to the dial corner and birds to the dial centre. Rare sweep centre date calendar and sweep centre seconds and moon phases to the arch.

The fine movement strikes each quarter on a ting-tang mechanism and each our on a bell.

The superb case is of flame mahogany with high quality inlay, carved moulding and verre églomisé panels.

 

 

---

Titus Bancroft of Sowerby Bridge

c 1813

Height 91"   Price: P. O. A.

A rare and important musical longcase clock.

The substantial five pillar, eight day, three train movement is of outstanding quality and plays on a carillon of eight bells, striking each hour on a single bell, with repeat mechanism, adjustable fly, beat adjuster and the most unusual feature of the days of the week, date and strike/silent to the arch.

The fine, painted dial has the four continents to the corners and subsidiary seconds dial.

The movement frontplate is inscribed "John Bancroft 1816, brother of Titus" (Partner in business)

The important regency case is of feathered mellow mahogany, crossbanded in satinwood, boxwood panels and stringing with brass corinthians to the hood.

---

Thomas Collingwood of London 

c 1760   Height 89¾"

Price - POA

A very rare three train musical, walnut longcase clock, having a brass dial with subsidiary date and scalloped seconds dial and a Dutch minute band to the chapter ring.

The arch, the lunar faces being finely engraved and silvered.

The 8-day movement plays on a carillon of eight bells and each hour on a single bell.

The superb red walnut case has brass pillars to the trunk and hood.

---

James Park of Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire 

c. 1800   Height - 90¾" 

Price: P.O.A.

Rare three train Scottish clock with superbly engraved brass dial, having date and seconds and an outstanding quarter chiming ting/tang movement.

The elegant case is of flame mahogany with barley twist pillars to hood and base and fine carving to top of hood and trunk.

 

Samuel Taylor of Rochdale

c. 1820        Height 93”      

Price:- P.O.A.

 A rare and outstanding musical clock having a painted dial with the four continents to the corners and a chariot with horses rising from the sea to the dial centre, and subsidiary tune change dial.

To the arch there is a  most unusual rolling moonwork and inscription in the arch “as the hours pass, so passes the time of man”.

The tunes are played on a carillon of eight bells every two hours, changing automatically each day, with a psalm on Sunday.  The music switches off from midnight to 4am.

Tunes:

1. Psalm 104                2. Lovely Nancy                3. Balance a String

4. New Wakefield        5. Evening Hymn             

6. Isle of Providence   7. Tink a Tink

The flame mahogany case is outstanding, with barley twist pillars to hood, inlay to trunk and base. There is carved fretwork to the hood and sides to let out the sound of the music.

To go to the top of the page, click here