Astronomical clock by Francis Nowe, England, 1588

V&A — Summary

Object Type This is one of the earliest weight-driven clocks recorded and is the earliest English clock to bear a date. The whole of the present movement dates from the late 17th century, when the clock was modernised. The original movement was probably similar to that in a clock in the British Museum, London, signed by Nicholas Vallin and dated 1598. Construction The gearing for the astronomical work provides for a minute hand rotating every hour, a sun pointer rotating once in a lunar day and an additional wheel that rotates in just over 24 hours. A central disc carries the moon pointer and an index showing the age of the moon and the time of high water at London Bridge. When the date disc is correctly set by hand, the sun and moon pointers show the positions of the sun and moon in the zodiac. The equinoxes are shown at 12 March and 12 September. Design & Maker The maker Francis Nowe - his surname is spelled in various ways - is probably the clockmaker of that name who was born in Hartick van Bourse in Brabant in the Low Countries. In 1571 he came to London, where this clock was made, to escape religious persecution. The very fine engraved ornament is based upon the designs of Etienne Delaune (1519-1583) and Abraham de Bruyn (1540-1587). A cup with London hallmarks for 1573-1574, the Magdalen cup, now in Manchester City Art Gallery, has similar engraved decoration. Francis Nowe died in London in 1593.

V&A — Physical description

The case of gilt brass signed 'Frauncoy Nowe fecit a London A o DM o 1588' the engraved decoration probably based on designs by Etienne Delaune and Abraham de Bruyn. The brass frame formed of four simple Doric columns joined at top and bottom by square brass plates and mounted on four ball feet. This is original 16th century work. Upper top plate mounted on four small supports. Front and back plates pinned to the frame, side plates hinged and secured to front plate by spring latches. Front and side plates gilt and engraved with strapwork and foliage, trophies of arms, birds and grotesques, snails, butterflies and cherub heads. Case corners surmounted by original turned urn finials, between which at the front and sides runs an engraved and gilt cresting, pierced with egg and tongue decoration. Release buttons of door-latches cast in the form of lion masks and gilt. Three quarter-bells mounted between top-plate and upper top-plate; hour-bell above upper top-plate, screwed below a brass spider, with screw-head in the form of a fifth, larger urn finial. The bells are later replacements. Dial: Dial plate 8" x 6 1/4" (20.4 x 15.9 cms) with engraved chapter-ring 11.8 cm diameter, 1.3 cm broad, with roman hours I to XII and stars at the half hours. A ring 1.2" wide, now blank, surrounds the chapter ring. No hands. A later set of astronomical dials has been pinned over the original chapter-ring area but is now shown separately. This has an outer brass chapter-ring 14.5 cms diameter 2.2 cm broad, with roman hours I to XII, I to XII, outer ring of minute marks and small projections at the quarter-hours. Marked with roman numerals I to IIII. Within the ring a calendar disc of thinner brass (10.5 cm diameter), with an outer engraved ring of months and days and an inner set of pictorial zodiac signs with the number of degrees in each sign. The equinoxes are at March 12th and September 12th. Superposed on the calendar disc is a central rotating disc 2" diameter carrying a sun pointer in the form of a sunburst ring and graduated 1 to 12, 1 to 12, with an inner ring 1 to 29 1/2 for moon's age. A further superposed central disc 3.5 cms diameter carried the moon pointer and an index showing the moon's age and the time of high water at London Bridge. When the date disc is set by hand the sun and moon pointers show the positions of the sun and moon in the zodiac. The figure of Virgo is in late 16th century dress. The chapter ring and astronomical dial are later replacements. Movement: The whole present clock movement is of late 17th century date, with frame and wheels all of brass. Three weight driven trains and astronomical under-dial work. Going train in front, with anchor escapement, 30T escape wheel and pallets embracing 8 teeth. Crutch for long pendulum. Striking train in the middle, with locking-plate at rear of front compartment, released from a pin on the centre-wheel. Quarter-chiming - train at the rear, chiming on three bells and released from pins on the centre-wheel at the first, second and third quarters. Clicks on the striking and chiming train pulleys but not on that of the going train. The astromonical gearing provides for a minute-hand rotating once per hour, the sun-pointer rotating once in 24 hour, and a lunar pointer rotating once in a lunar day 24 x 59/57 hours. There is also a wheel which rotates once in 24 x 73/72 hours. This is in the form of a 72-T wheel cut and with an extra tooth inserted. With the clock there is a plain later17th century steel bow hand; a long pendulum with lenticular shaped brass, adjustable bob and brass attachment for the spring at the upper end; two cylindrical brass covered weights; small iron weight attached to a length of chord; two weight pulleys of iron and two lengths of modern iron chain.

V&A — Historical context

The clock was lent to the Exhibition of Works of Antient and Medieval Art at the Society of Arts in 1850 catalogue number 929 lent by R.T.Jopling of Landsown Villas, Brompton.

V&A — Object history

Made in London by Francis Nowe (born in Brabant, Belgium, died in London, 1593). Originally considered to be the earliesr surviving England lantern clock case, there is little of the 1588 clock that survives - just the outer case, Doric pillars, finials and feet. This is not sufficient evidence to regard this as a prototype lantern clock. The clock is recorded in the collection of R.T Jopling, Lansdown Villas, Brompton when it was lent in 1850 to an exhibition of 'Works of Antient and Medieval Art' at the Society of Arts, London, catalogue number 929. The clock was subsequently in the collection of the Christie family( of auctioneer fame) at the Manor House, Framingham Pigot, Norwich (see correspondence from James Christie to Claude Blair, March 1960 mounted in Bound Registe ) and was sold at auction by Christie's London 12 March 1959 lot 80. It was bought by Ronald Lee of Hampton Court for 240 guineas.

V&A — Production note

Dated 1588; the movement late 17th century

V&A gallery label

British Galleries: This is one of the earliest English weight-driven clocks to survive, and also the earliest dated English moveable clock. The clock uses different dials to indicate the age of the moon, the time of High Water at London Bridge, the positions of the sun and moon in the zodiac and the dates of the two equinoxes.