MUDGE & DUTTON, London c1770
Description:
An elegant English mahogany wall clock with silvered dial, of the finest quality, by these eminent makers. The mahogany case has a cast brass turned bezel closing onto a wooden surround and is fitted with a lock. There are shaped ears to the chisel footed bottom of the case with a full length opening door. The chisel bottom rather than being straight, as is the case with many of these clocks, is well shaped in an ogee fashion. The 14 inch silvered dial is ornately signed ‘Thom. Mudge Willm Dutton, London’ and has roman numerals for the hours with Arabic numerals outside the minute ring. The blued steel ornate spade style hands have small cut outs which are a particularly nice feature, and are found on most of these maker’s dial clocks. The substantial eight day timepiece movement has four nicely shaped knopped pillars and fine wheelwork with four crossings. It has recoil anchor escapement and gut fusée with the normal stop work. The brass pendulum is suspended from a regulator style backcock mounted on the rear of the movement. The movement is mounted into the case on a seatboard. Height: 26½ in (67 cm) THOMAS MUDGE & WILLIAM DUTTON Thomas Mudge is one of the most famous names in the field of English horology, his primary claims to fame being the invention of the lever escapement, which became the standard escapement used in most watches for over 200 years, and his marine timekeeper which was to eventually gain him an award of £3,000 from the Board of Longitude. Those who would like to know more on these matters are referred to David Penney’s excellent chapter in ‘The Quest for Longitude’ and Mudge’s son’s own account² of his achievements in this direction.
Clockmaker: MUDGE & DUTTON, London
Circa: 1770
Stock Number: 3851
Height: 26.5 inches (67 cm.)