Bracket clock by Rivers & Son, Cornhill, London, c. 1800

Dealer description — Howard Walwyn

A charming miniature George III period figured mahogany table clock of rare small size by these London makers. The well patinated flame mahogany case is of bell-top form, surmounted by a hinged brass carrying handle over double cavetto mouldings. The base rests has a cavetto-moulded skirt that rests on four moulded bracket feet. The break-arch front door is framed by raised mouldings and pierced upper quadrant sound frets. The rear of the case is fitted with a rectangular break-arch glazed door, while the carved wooden side frets also share the break arch shape, backed with red silk. The 5-inch break-arch brass dial has a silvered brass chapter ring with Roman hour numerals and Arabic five minute markers outside the minute track. The centre is finely scroll-engraved and silvered, signed by the makers Rivers & Son, Cornhill / LONDON within an oval lambrequin with falling drapes to each side. Gilt-brass Indian-masks and scrolling spandrels adorn each corner of the chapter ring. The arch has a silvered Strike/Silent subsidiary dial within conforming gilt-brass foliate mounts and the delicate, finely pierced blued-steel hands appear to be original. The 8-day movement has five knopped pillars and twin fusees, the going train with verge escapement regulated by a pear shaped pendulum bob, striking the hours on a bell with trip-hour pull repeat . The backplate is engraved with a central urn amid symmetrical foliate scrolls and rosettes. Date: circa 1800 Height: 13 ½ in (34 cm) handle down Width: 8 in (20 cm) Depth: 5 ½ in (14 cm) Rivers & Son (Cornhill, London, circa 1782–1815) The firm traded in the City at Cornhill , most often recorded at No. 38 from about 1782 until 1815 , styling themselves ‘Rivers & Son, Cornhill, London, successors to Daniel de St. Leu (Watchmaker to Her Majesty).’ This succession, frequently quoted on their dials, followed De St. Leu’s move to Cornhill and conferred immediate prestige and royal association on the Rivers workshop. Their engraving style is often compared to Allam & Clements and John Ellicott Jr- both highly regarded leading makers of the period. Period references list the firm as active at Cornhill to 1815; afterwards the business was briefly continued by a son ( William Rivers ) at Cornhill into the late 1810s. Rivers & Son are listed on page 657 of Brian Loomes’ Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World: Complete 21 st Century Edition. Miniature striking table clocks such as this are increasingly rare and thus highly prized by collectors. HW6632