Longcase clock, English, made about 1690, inscribed ‘Dan Le Count London’. Walnut with marquetry of other woods

V&A — Summary

Daniel Le Count was a well-known and respected clockmaker working in London between 1676, when he joined the Clockmaker’s Company, and 1693, according to contemporary records. His name is also recorded as LeConte and Lecomte indicating that he may be of French Huguenot origin. He became free of the Haberdashers’ Company. The clock door is decorated with three marquetry panels, each with a ground of dark walnut, depicting flowers, birds, cherubs and human figures. On the clock-base is another panel, also showing flowers and cherubs, which has been partially restored. The spandrels are an unusually early example of depictions of full-length cherubs, which were not used by most clockmakers until around the turn of the 18th century; they may be later additions. More usual at the time were cherub’s faces with wings on either side, as shown on the Coat of Arms which the Clockmakers’ Company received in 1671 (possible illustration). The frieze above the clock-face has been renewed. The month going two train movement is mounted externally with a count wheel which controls the hour striking on a single bell.

V&A — Physical description

Case: Clock in walnut case decorated with marquetry. Hood with moulded top above projecting cornice and a plain frieze. Concave moulding below hood and door with three panels decorated with marquetry of birds, cherubs, male and female figures and flowers. The door has a round panel of glass within a convex brass moulding and is framed by inlaid borders. The plinth is moulded and decorated with a panel of similar marquetry. Dial: Twelve inch square. Brass dial plate with ringed winding holes and seconds aperture, matted centre with small roundels pattern surrounding calendar aperture behind which is silvered calendar ring. One corner of dial plate with triangular piece added to complete the corner; original surrounding metal especially thin. Twin cherubs with crown spandrels screwed to corners of dial plate, the underside of the castings with raised flat pieces. Silvered chapter ring and subsidiary seconds ring pinned at back of dial plate. Minute divisions are set in from edge of chapter ring by a plain scale having Arabic five minute numbers and arrow head half quarter marks. Roman hour numerals. Quarter hour divisions with engraved half hour marks. Signed between VII and V on the chapter ring Dan Le Count London. Seconds ring with its relatively broad Arabic five seconds numerals occupies most of upper dial space between inside of chapter ring and top of hour hand. Dial attached to front plate by four dial feet pinned to movement. Hands: Steel hands with very little carving on hour hand surface, the minute with some detailing. Seconds hand missing. Movement: Month going, brass and steel, weight driven, two train movement. Hour striking on bell controlled by countwheel mounted externally to the backplate on a squared extension of Intermediate arbor. Going train with recoil anchor escapement. Five pillar movement, each pillar having fins and a semi-circular central knop. Pillars riveted to backplate, pinned to front plate. Movement plates relatively high in proportion to width. Collets where used to mount wheels to arbors mostly semi-circular in profile; arbors swell towards centres, pinion heads short; exceptions include Fourth, Escape and Warning where collets are of two section profile, and arbors are more or less parallel with longer pinion heads. Fly is rectangular with friction spring located on the vane. Where visible without dismantling, scribe lines present on those wheel faces mounted on semi-circular collets. Mounted on the pallet arbor with a double profiled collet, pallets are broad with shallow drops to arms. Two pivot holes visible on back cock. Hour wheel bridge of lenticular shape coming to a point at each foot.

V&A — Object history

Gift of Mrs Ada Borner, widow of Hermann Edward Frederick, Rusthall Grange, Tunbridge Wells Notes from R.P. 3059 - 29 25 November 1929 minute paper, Oliver Brackett report of visit and selection of items for examination at the museum includes a reference to "Marquetry clock (In Dining Room)". 21 March 1930 minute paper, Oliver Brackett report of inspection of items at the museum includes mention of the clock: "The marquetry clock is a fine specimen though the base…has been slightly restored: the works are by a well-known maker Daniel Lecount of whom Britten gives some account. We think it might be advantageous to substitute it for a less important specimen which could trasnfer to B.G.M.". Comments: Dial: Indicative of the early 18th century owing to its size, twelve inches superseding smaller sizes by this date. The arrangement of the minute band on the chapter ring became common ca.1690 onwards, whilst the relative thicknesses of the scale and minute divisions are indicative of early 18th century practice. The type of spandrel here employed typically came into use ca.1700 but in this case there must be doubts as to authenticity, since the retaining screws appear modern, whilst the appearance of the underside does not seem typical. Another anomaly is that the chapter ring partially conceals the lower part of the pattern which surrounds the calendar aperture. Hands: The restrained carved and bevelled surfaces tend to indicates a date commensurate with the dial, although minute hand retains vestiges of an older style. Movement: Long duration clocks were being made at this date but were to become less common as designs were rationalised. Styles of components associated with the late 17th, early 18th century include semi-circular wheel collets, the characteristic profile of original arbors, short pinion heads; the scribe lines on the wheels typically would not have been expected to survive much longer into the 18th century. Deviation in such styles forms evidence of later alterations as in the case of the Fourth, Escape and Warning wheels exhibiting double profiled collets, mainly parallel arbors and longer pinion heads. In the case of the fly, the original might have been expected to have more rounded vanes with an end mounted friction spring. Modifications have occurred to the escapement including the anchor, its characteristic shape and distinct pallet pads being usually associated with the 19th or early 20th century, whereas earlier examples would tend to have slender arms with a deeper drop. Any alterations in the geometry of the escapement would also account for modifications to the back cock. Description and notes by Francis Brodie, c. 2008