If you could choose any Christmas present, what would it be? For many of us, it might be something beautiful or frivolous that we would never buy for ourselves. For others, perhaps something useful. Well, how about something that is both beautiful and useful, and will also, in due course, become a family heirloom? Have you considered putting an antique clock on your wish list? Pendulum of Mayfair have a range of beautiful antique clocks for sale, ranging from longcase clocks, otherwise known as grandfather clocks, through bracket clocks and wall clocks, to carriage clocks, so you can choose just the right clock for your home and the space available.
Do you want a large freestanding clock? Go for a grandfather clock. If you want a clock for your wall, you can choose either a longer case hanging clock or a round clock, rather like the modern wall clocks now available, but perhaps more beautiful. And if you want something to sit on a table or mantelpiece, have a look at the range of bracket clocks and carriage clocks available. You’ll be sure to find something that will fit the space you have in mind!
Australia’s First Clock Maker
Antique clocks as we have looked at in my many blogs centered around London in the 17th and 18th centuries. The UK exported many of these clocks to different parts of the world. Pendulum of Mayfair website sells many of these fine clocks.
Fleeing UK to set up a new life overseas
Clock production only really set up in places like America, as a result of people fleeing persecution on religious grounds. It was slightly different how clock production was setup in places like Australia. Hundreds of convict ships sailed during the 18th and 19th centuries to Australia. As mentioned in my previous blog Henry Lane the clockmaker from London and Bristol was a prisoner on board the Perseus. Clearly other convicts arrived in Australia who were also clockmakers in the UK. James Oatley was born in Warwickshire in 1770 but was found guilty of stealing bed linen. He was a horologist who arrived in Sydney in 1815. His talents also were noted and he became a highly regarded clock and watch maker. He was pardoned in 1821 and he was appointed Keeper of the Town Hall Clock by Governor Macquarie.
Sydney Clocks
It is Henry Lane Clock maker who I will be looking at here though. It is found a year after his arrival he had set up his business in Sydney in 1803. Clearly with no competetion to speak of, he was not short of work. He he is mentioned soon after his arrival advertising for an apprentice and a clock case manufacturer. In April 1804 he advertises for sale a ships chronometer and through these adverts you can tell he also manufactured watches at the time. Sydney was founded in 1788 . Again convict ships set sail from Portsmouth. The Town Hall clock that Henry Lane was asked to repair after it collapsed in 1806 was probably brought on one of these ships from the UK. The first tower clock in the UK to compare was at Salisbury Cathedral and it was made in 1386, over 400 years earlier !
Conditional Pardon Henry Lane 1808
In 1808 Henry Lane has been given a conditional pardon and by 1811 Henry was appointed Government Clock Keeper. He held this position until his death on the 15th April 1815. The earliest editions of the Sydney Gazette gives lots more information about Henry Lane. He has grandfather clocks and watches advertised for sale. It is an interesting history that I suggest readers delve deeper.
Close Bonds Between UK and Australia
Australia and the UK have a unique history from 1788. It is probably one of the closest international relationships in existence. It has a shared history, culture, institutions and language. The only change is that people go to live in Australia freely from the UK today ! Even the current Australian Prime Minister was born in the UK in Wales. There has always been a fierce rivalry especially in sport between our two nations but we have always had a special bond. Many of the people who live in Australia today have some connection with the UK, either in past or present history.
What is my favourite antique clock maker?
So many times I get asked the question. When you have so many antique clocks, which one do you like best? It is a very difficult question to answer, as I love antique clocks. I have loved them all my life. There is no one set clock that I can opt for. One clock maker I truly respect amongst all others though.
Clockmaker Thomas Ogden
You might well expect me to go for a special London clockmaker, as so many names run off the tongue. We have Thomas Tompion, the father of English clockmaking. Fromanteel, a very special early clockmaker. Edward East another early and well respected clockmaker. George Graham, Daniel Quare, John Ellicott, a very special maker. Eardley Norton, John Knibb, wow the list is so long and I could include many many more. These are truly amazing clockmakers. You will notice though they are all London gentlemen. It was far easier to get on, produce wonderful clocks in London, than pretty much anywhere else in the 17th/18th centuries.
Why Thomas Ogden ?
After long thought I have decided the workmanship and talents of the Ogden family of clockmakers, and in particular Thomas Ogden Clock . Ogden produced amazing workmanship away from the centre of clock making and knowledge that was London. This makes him my no 1 choice, as a result he certainly has the X factor for me.
Quaker Clockmaking
Thomas Ogden was from a family of Quakers. He was born in C 1693. He initially worked in Ripponden, probably continuing his fathers business. Ogden then moved to Halifax, where he had a shop on the High Street and Upper Swift Place in Soyland. He died with no children in 1769 aged 77.
Superb Quality Workmanship
Thomas Ogden’s work is of the highest quality. He is one of the very few clock makers, that put a half round brass beed, as seen the pictures above, around his dial. No spandrels to the dial is a typical Quaker thing to do. I have been lucky to own a few of his antique clocks. Every one, like the one above, is exacting in every detail. The internal workmanship is not matched in my opinion, especially considering he is not from the establishment of clock makers, that was London in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Globe Moons
He produced some wonderful globe moons or ‘Halifax moons’ ,as they were later called and various world time dials. He is in my opinion the finest of all provincial clock makers and in some ways one of the finest of all clock makers. Pendulum of Mayfair has one such amazing example on its website.
Dating Antique Painted Dial Clocks
Dating clocks
Longcase or grandfather clocks were made in Britain from about 1658 and during the first few years their production was confined almost exclusively to London. One of the earliest provincial grandfather clocks I have seen is dated 1689 by a maker called John Washbourn.
Painted dials on the other hand were brought out just after C.1770, these were made to compete with the single sheet dial or one-piece brass dial, that was introduced around C.1760.
I like to catagorize painted dial grandfather clocks into three seperate time periods.
Period 1 – 1770 – 1790
Painted dial manufacture and painting was started in Birmingham by two individuals called Osborne and Wilson. They were in partnership between 1772 and 1777, they later went there own ways producing dials on their own merit, Wilson died in 1809. White dial production became very popular in Birmingham in the 18th century. Towards the end of the 18th century there were a large number of dial painters situated in Birmingham. Most dial manufacturer’s stamp their names on the iron false plate behind the dial. It is true to say Birmingham dominated the market in painted grandfather clock dial production, but there were a few other areas that set-up dial painting and manufacture for example in Halifax and Edinburgh.
Falseplate
The very earliest dials were attached to the front plate of the movement directly. After a short time, dials were attached by means of an iron false plate. This made it easy for the clock maker to attach his dials. It would not interfere with any part of his movement. Also it meant you could have smaller dial feet, which were therefore more stable and less prone to bending.
The two dials above are exceedingly early white dials and just have the gold leaf decoration to the corners. These type of dials date from about C.1772-1775
Below you will see the second stage of period 1 antique clock dials. Some colour is added to the gold leaf decoration to the corners and arch. These clock dials below date from C1775-C1785
You will notice in London gold leaf decoration and flower to the corners is earlier than the corresponding dials in the provinces. In London new advances were always ahead of their time. Even though dial painting originally started in Birmingham. Early London dials around C1775 will have gold leaf decoration and flowers to the corners. Sometimes London dials have no decoration at all. Also sometimes the chapter ring and the strike/silent ring are porcelain or painted with the rest of the dial left brass.
There is therefore three stages in my opinion of period 1 antique clock white dials. The last stage of period 1 is between C.1785 and C.1795. This is when the dial painter drops the gold to the corners and sometimes a scene is included or a bird.
Period 2 – 1790 – 1810
Period 2 can be mixed in certain ways with period 1 dials. They are certainly in no way inferior to period 1 dials. In fact the two dials I have included here are amazing works of art. I suppose it is the real height of dial design and some of the dials produced certainly in the C.1790-C1800 period are of the finest detailing.
Period 3 – 1810 onwards
I must admit period’s 1 , 2 and the very start of period 3 white dials are the most collectable. These are of the highest value and my favourite. The two pictured below are very nice clocks both dating from start of the 19th century. As the 19th century progresses the dials become larger and the scenes not so well painted. Generally if your dial is 13 inches or below and your clock is an antique and not a copy. Your clock will date from earlier than C.1820 as a rule of thumb.
Conclusion
You will also notice the dial progression, the very earliest white dial grandfather clocks are mostly white. As time progresses more of the dial becomes painted. The later you go, the painting gets quite dense. On the later mid 19th century ones, these sometimes are not of a very high quality or very appealing. The dials below are very good period 3 antique clock dials, and still very collectable. The clock dial on the left is a rare oval dial. You will notice most dials produced were either square and arched. Visit our homepage https://www.pendulumofmayfair.co.uk for further information.
Are Antique Clocks Free From Capital Gains Tax ?
I have been asked many times about the state of the economy at the moment as regards antique clocks. The market at the moment is very strange. We seem to be doing well on all high value items and clock sales are very quiet on the less expensive goods. To anyone listening to this they will probably ask me the question, well why is it this way?
- The first answer probably relates to people and/or businesses investing in antique clocks. Antique clocks are for tax purposes described as a ‘wasting asset’. This means they can be classified on business accounts as plant/machinery. Therefore their purchase can be set against tax. Personal possessions that are wasting assets. These can also be exempt from Capital Gains Tax. The tax man therefore at the moment can not touch clocks.
- My second answer relates to stocks/shares and low return on savings. At the moment wealthy and middle income customers are becoming increasingly frustrated with these low returns. They are deciding to purchase antique clocks for their home. At the moment there is a return on savings and investments. They would rather spend their money on items that give them pleasure. These can form equally good investments themselves. It is important you buy your antique clock from a reliable and trustworthy source. These will give you a money back guarantee that it is genuine and fully restored. Be careful when buying in auction as this is not the case.
Intrinsic labour costs
Antique grandfather clocks have so much intrinsic labour costs built in. As a result, they will continue, in my opinion, to form a good investment. They were built to last and labour costs at the time were very low. These past generations produced some wonderful clocks. We treasure these today, many can be viewed at our online antique store. www.pendulumofmayfair.co.uk.