Daniel Quare London. Circa 1710, month going marquetry longcase clock.
A fine Queen Anne antique month-going longcase clock by Daniel Quare dating to Circa 1710. The detailed floral marquetry case of typical form for the period with curved caddy top above silk-backed fretting, surmounted by brass globe finials. The sides of panelled walnut. The 12 inch dial with finely matted centre, seconds subsidiary and date aperture. Blued steel hands. The substantial, 5-pillar, month-going movement with transposed trains in typical Quare/ Tompion fashion and counter-clockwise winding for both. Brass cased weights and finely detailed pendulum. Total height with finials is just under 97 inches.
The clock is fully working, movement properly cleaned and serviced. Condition is generally good, the case shows some typical shrinkage movement and older repairs to the base.
Further Discussion:
Historical Context
I suggest that we tend to have an over-romanticized view of life in Early 18th century London, if by some miracle of time-travel we found ourselves moved backwards 300+ years the reality would be a society of somewhat dubious morality, the vice grip of an entrenched class structure and with health care bordering on the barbaric! Yet this society provides the backdrop for the celebrated ‘golden age’ of English clockmaking.
The longcase clock originated in prototype form during the 1660s, then was quickly developed by the work of a group of exceptionally talented makers. The earliest commercial forms were small, often 10-inch dials around 1680, then became larger by the 1690s, generally 11-inch. By the turn of the century apartments were getting bigger so 12-inch dials became popular, the rest of the clock being appropriately scaled up. By 1710 or so the very grand London clocks had become taller with impressive pediments replacing the earlier crestings.
Not that the makers would have known at the time, but by the early years of the 18th century the ‘golden age’ was drawing to an end. Tompion died in 1713, something of a watershed perhaps. Other famous makers had passed away before this, some such as Quare and Delander would live further into the century. While the great makers passed on their skills to their apprentices who often became very competent makers in their own right, the light of combined genius would never burn so brightly again.
This clock by Daniel Quare is typical of those made for London customers in the period from around 1710 up until the new fashion for arched dials took over (1720s). At this time a standard 8-day clock would have been a very expensive status symbol, month going clocks would have been a level above in terms of bragging rights and for the very wealthy. Longer duration clocks, sometimes running up to a year, were also made by a handful of the top makers but these tended to be for royalty or large institutions.
Daniel Quare, Clockmaker
Daniel Quare is considered to be one of the top makers of the ‘golden age’. He was born around 1648, served his apprenticeship with an unknown maker, then became a brother of the Clockmaker's Company in 1671, subsequently master in 1708. He died in 1724.
He was a Quaker and his religious beliefs certainly influenced his interaction with London society, he famously objected to taking the oath of allegiance to George I as royal clockmaker in later life.
His work is sometimes considered to be ‘variable’ in quality, some as good as the very best, other perhaps less so. This may be because some of the clocks bearing his name were not actually made by him but by journeymen or apprentices, this practice was not necessarily rare at the time. Cescinksy’s famous “Old English Master Clockmakers…” levels the same criticism at Tompion! Although to a lesser degree.
I think it is fair to say that these days any genuine clock by Daniel Quare (or his ‘company’) is a rare and desirable item.
Like Tompion, Quare made different levels of clock for different clientele. 8-day longcase clocks for the merely wealthy, month going longcase clocks for the ‘super-rich’ (or 18thcentury equivalent) and 3/ 6 /12 month going famously for royalty (and posterity).
Like all makers he was subject to the fashions of the day so his longcase clocks moved through the different styles of necessity. Early 10 inch, ‘William & Mary’ 11 inch, Queen Anne 12 inch.
The Movement
Both Quare and Tompion tended to favour ‘transposed’ movements for their month going longcase clocks (although not for 8-day examples). This means that the trains are reversed from the normal arrangement, so looking from the front the going train is on the left and the strike train on the right. I’m not sure why this would be the case, perhaps just the practicality of the layout with the extra wheels etc. The typical transposed movement is evident here. If you look at other Quare (and Tompion) month-going longcase clocks you will normally see the same arrangement.
Both trains are reverse (counter-clockwise) wound. For the going train this is of necessity because of the extra wheel which provides month duration. For the strike train perhaps not so because the pin wheel which triggers the hammer has 24 pins and the train is higher geared. I think in this case it is because it is more elegant for both trains to wind the same way and this may have been the preference of a top maker such as Quare. The going train weight is significantly heavier than the strike train weight, indeed it has been ‘extended’ at some point in its life to make it a bit heavier. I don’t know if this is necessary for a properly cleaned and oiled clock but decided to leave it this way.
The wheel work is quite finely made, certainly in comparison to later longcase clocks where the wheels tend to get larger and coarser. The third wheel in the strike looks different and has a later collet so I think this a later replacement.
The fifth pillar also appears to have been replaced at some point.
The movement runs very smoothly, more like a large watch than a 300+ year old longcase! It certainly gives the impression of quality.
The strike is governed by what appears to be an early type of rack on the front plate. The so-called “weight” clocks often retained countwheels well into the 18th century because there was no requirement for repeating (as with table/ bracket clocks). The position of the rack is reversed because of the transposed trains, also the snail is not stepped but a continuous spiral, quite unusual. The snail sits inboard of the date gear, again an unusual arrangement.
The various levers and springs to the front plate are all nicely shaped as you would expect from a top maker.
Another small but important feature is that Quare’s month weight clocks invariably have brackets near the top of the rear plate which secure to the backboard of the case. Perhaps the heavier movement necessitated more stability, or just because it was felt appropriate for a more expensive clock. In this one the substantial brass bracket secures to a iron/ steel bracket fixed to the backboard.
The Case
The overall form of the case is typical of Quare’s later period for longcase clocks. Very tall and elegant, significantly bigger than the pre-1700 clocks. The curved/ caddy top seems to be something of a trademark for Quare, often adorned with globe finials as here.
Marquetry cases went through their own development, earlier ones tending to be simple, then panelled floral designs. By the late 1600s ‘all over’ marquetry was popular, the final period used finer ‘seaweed’ or ‘arabesque’ designs.
This one seems quite unusual, almost transitional between floral and later designs. The floral patterns are finer than typical 1690s ones. By the early 1700s marquetry was going out of fashion, so a marquetry clock from 1710 would seem slightly anachronistic, perhaps a request from a customer with more traditional tastes?
The case shows some typical wood movement/ shrinkage for the age, top and bottom of the trunk door, tops of trunk sides where the vertical members join etc. Overall though it is in nice condition. The base has some older repairs, possibly some elements of the hood have been repaired as well. Pretty much what you would expect from a case of this age. Some of the remaining structural timber in the base looks very old so possibly original and looks to have had bun feet at some point. These could be re-instated fairly easily but would make the clock taller by a couple of inches.
The Dial
Not too much to say on this… a handsome dial typical for the period. Finely matted centre, seconds subsidiary, date aperture. Blued steel hands. Spandrels C&W number 8 popular after1705. Interestingly the chapter ring is secured by 6 pinned lugs (feet?) instead of the usual 4, I would say this is a sign of quality.
Values
A month going Quare longcase of similar age notably sold for £85k a few years ago. The current market would not support that kind of value, however these things are cyclical so it is more a question of ‘when’ prices will go up again than ‘if’. I have tried to be realistic with my pricing and will consider sensible offers. There is little doubt the market as it stands represents an excellent opportunity to invest in premium early clocks by top makers at very reasonable prices, it may not last long…