Eight-day Nelson commemorative mahogany longcase clock, no.1583 by Henry Philipson

Catalogue description — Royal Museums Greenwich

An eight-day Nelson commemorative mahogany longcase clock with moonphase and tidal indication by Henry Philipson, Ulverston, September 1810. The weight driven movement has rectangular brass plates with rounded edges which are united by four knopped pillars. The front plate is engraved with a movement number (1583) and dated 1810. The wheelwork has four curved crossings and even the motion work is also crossed out with three curved crossings to the cocked minute wheel and canon pinion, the calendar drive wheel is solid with double ringing. The going train employs an anchor escapement with seconds beating wire-rod pendulum with brass faced bob. The rack striking system has internal locking (as opposed to the more common locking by the gathering pallet tail) and brass rack. The 13 inch painted dial has a Roman hour numerals, subsidiary seconds and calendar dials, shield and foliate corner decoration and is signed across the arch above the moonphase. The moon dial features Admiral Lord Nelson stood on deck with a drawn sword and a battleship under sail on the opposing side. The outer edge carries tidal indication which is read against a blued steel pointer running vertically across the aperture. The dial is secured to the movement via an iron falseplate which is signed Francis, Birmingham. The hood is surmounted by a scroll pediment which terminates in Nelson commemorative pressed brass roundels depicting an obelisk and trophies of war, marked: 'Sacr’d to Nelson'. The pediment is centred by a medallion finial depicting George III with Greek Key pattern to the sides mounted on a turned spire and is inset with verre eglomisee panels. The crossbanded break arch door is flanked by freestanding reeded columns with brass capitals. The trunk has reeded quarter columns and triple arched door over a strung base with canted corners and bracket feet. This clock is a typical and very fine example of those produced in the northwest of England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. There were a handful of 19th century clockmakers who numbered their work and Henry Philipson, successor to Jonas Barber of Winster, continued Barber’s numbering sequence. The finial is directly comparable to the Nelson commemorative finials on the clock by Felminhgham of Bungay (AAA3525) as it has the same Greek Key pattern to the outer band and similarly turned spire.