George Prior, London

Circa 1790

Sold

19 1/4 inches high

The arched case has an oak carcass veneered in ebonised fruitwood, the concave-moulded top is surmounted by a silvered brass urn finial and the case is applied to the front and sides with silvered brass foliate mounts and sound frets; the whole case is raised on four rocaille shell-form feet. The cream-painted dial is signed George Prior London within the chapter ring which has an inner calendar ring and pierced blued steel hands. The subsidiary rings above are for Strike/ Silent, Chime/Silent and six musical tune selection; COTILLION, GAVOTT, DANCE, AIR, MINUET, HORNPIPE. The movement has triple fusees and spring barrels, the going train with the original verge escapement and short bob pendulum with foliate engraved backcock. The strike train peels the hours on a single bell on the backplate, whilst the musical train plays six tunes on 10 bells via 10 hammers. The backplate is engraved overall with scrolling foliage centred by an similarly engraved pendulum holdfast.