John Troughton, Helstone. Circa 1740. A particularly elegant Cornish moon-phase, mahogany longcase clock.
A particularly elegant antique longcase clock by John Troughton, Helstone (Cornwall) dating to around 1740. Brass/ silvered dial with moon-phases, slender mahogany case with distinctive caddy pediment.
The clock is complete and fully working. The movement is in good condition, serviced with new gut lines. Moon phases and date working correctly. The dial is excellent, dial plate is gilded and chapter rings/ name plate are silvered brass. The case appears to be an early example of mahogany construction, mahogany became popular in better quality clock cases from around 1750 although there are some examples before this date. The case is good with rich mahogany colour and good polish, it has the usual signs of age, some wood movement etc, some small cracks to the base and sides.
Complete with brass-faced pendulum, matching lead weights, winder and trunk door key (working lock).
John Troughton is known to have been working in Helstone between around 1730 and 1750. This clock shows typical characteristics for that period. The dial centre is finely matted with engraved decoration around the date aperture including birds. The chapter ring has inner hour calibration and half-hour markers. The moon disk has a silvered moon with intermediate starry skies and the outer edge, also silvered, is calibrated for the moon's age. The maker's name is shown on an engraved and silvered plate above the arch. The hands are steel and typical for the period 1730 to 1750.
Overall height with finials is 93 inches, the centre finial could be removed and that would save 3 inches or so.