Clocks · Longcase clock
Rocking ship automata longcase clock by Richard Biggs, Romsey
- Maker / attribution
- Richard Biggs (maker)
- Date
- c. 1785
- Historical period
- Precision & Scientific Horology (1750 – 1850)
- Country of origin
- England
- Place
- Romsey
- Object type
- Longcase clock
- Dimensions
- Height 211 cm
- Stock no.
- Product 3405
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, The Antique Clock Company (product 3405)
- Catalogue title (original)
- ROCKING SHIP AUTOMATA LONGCASE CLOCK – RICHARD BIGGS – ROMSEY (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by The Antique Clock Company (dealer), Dorset (stock number Product 3405), this is a longcase clock by Richard Biggs, made in Romsey, England, dated c. 1785. The Atlas places it in the Precision & Scientific Horology period (1750 – 1850) of its Clocks collection. Recorded dimensions: Height 211 cm. The record is illustrated with 3 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — The Antique Clock Company
Elevate your collection with this exceptional longcase clock, a masterpiece by clockmaker Richard Biggs of Romsey. Combining artistry and precision, this timepiece offers both visual elegance and mechanical excellence. Key Features: 8-Day Weight-Driven Movement: Anchor escapement and seconds pendulum, this clock strikes the hours with a rack and snail striking system for reliable, accurate timekeeping. Elegant Flame Mahogany Case: The case is beautifully proportioned, showcasing the finest flame mahogany veneers, complemented by a long trunk door. Intricate Brass Dial: Featuring a silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals, Arabic five-minute markers, and finely blued steel hands. The matted centre includes a subsidiary seconds dial and a calendar aperture for added functionality. Signed Robert Biggs Rumsey (Romsey – Hampshire). Captivating Rocking Ship Automaton: Nestled in the break arch, a painted nautical scene comes to life with a rocking ship automaton, creating a mesmerising focal point. Don’t miss the opportunity to own this remarkable blend of historical significance, mechanical ingenuity, and aesthetic beauty. A true conversation piece and a timeless treasure for any collector. Height: 83″ or 211 cm
Provenance
Private collection, UK
Historical context
Precision & Scientific Horology (1750 – 1850)
Harrison solves longitude; Mudge invents the lever; Breguet's Paris workshop defines the modern watch.
The age of the deadbeat escapement, compensated pendulums and observatory regulators. Domestic clocks spread through the middle classes: English longcase and bracket clocks, French gilt-bronze mantel clocks, Viennese Biedermeier wall clocks, Black Forest painted-shield clocks, and the first American shelf clocks.
Read the period in the timelineMore clocks from this periodEarlier: Early Modern Horology
Atlas type guide
Longcase (tall-case or grandfather) clocks
The longcase clock was born from two seventeenth-century innovations: Christiaan Huygens's pendulum (1656–57) and the anchor escapement (c. 1670). A long seconds pendulum, nearly a metre long, swings with a small arc, and enclosing it together with the driving weights in a tall wooden case protected the mechanism and created a new piece of furniture. London makers such as Ahasuerus Fromanteel, Thomas Tompion and Joseph Knibb set the pattern.
By the eighteenth century longcase clocks were made throughout Britain, the Netherlands, Scandinavia (the Swedish Mora clock), France (the Comtoise from the Franche-Comté), Germany and colonial America. Eight-day movements with two weights became standard in better clocks; thirty-hour clocks with one weight and a rope or chain were cheaper alternatives.
What to look for
- Winding holes in the dial: two (eight-day, going and striking) or none (thirty-hour, pulled up by a chain).
- Brass dials with applied chapter rings (earlier) versus painted iron 'white' dials (after c. 1770 in Britain).
- Moon-phase arches, date apertures, seconds dials and maker's name on the dial.
- Case woods and style: ebonised, walnut marquetry, lacquer, oak or mahogany; regional styles from London, Lancashire, Scotland or America.
- Whether the movement and dial match the case — 'marriages' are common.
Dating clues
- Square brass dials suggest c. 1670–1720; arched brass dials c. 1715–1790.
- Painted (white) dials were made by Birmingham dial-makers from about 1772.
- Comtoise clocks with repoussé pendulums are mostly nineteenth century.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
Read next:Deadbeat escapementAnchor escapement
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