17th Century Charles II Month-going longcase clock by John Greenhill

17th Century Charles II Month-going longcase clock by John Greenhill

An exceptionally rare and highly important month-going longcase clock by John Greenhill of Ashford, Kent, dating to circa 1680.

The exceptional rarity of this longcase clock becomes immediately apparent when viewed as a whole. Surviving in a remarkable state of originality, the clock combines a highly unusual astronomical complication with an exceptionally elegant olive oyster veneered and floral marquetry case of outstanding colour and patination.

The richly figured olive oyster veneered oak case is decorated throughout with finely executed floral marquetry panels incorporating tulips, scrolling vines and trailing foliage, heightened with green stained elements against dark grounds. The hood, formerly rising, is flanked by ebonised barley twist columns with matching mouldings and glazed side apertures allowing the movement to be viewed. The slender trunk door is centred by a circular lenticle within an ebonised surround and framed by bold D-mouldings. The base continues the elaborate marquetry decoration and the whole rests upon bun feet.

The 9⅝-inch square brass dial retains its original cherub-head spandrels, finely engraved centre and silvered chapter ring with Roman hour numerals, Arabic five-minute divisions and minute markers.

The maker has signed the movement within a burnished lambrequin between the winding holes: John Greenhill at Ashforde. Beneath is a date aperture.
Above the chapter ring is a finely engraved burnished sector inscribed:
“The Sunn keeps constant motion thus twill be till time is Buried in Eternity”

The hood is of unusual form in order to accommodate one of the clock’s most extraordinary features: an original sunrise and sunset indication dial mounted within the arch. The painted rotating disc, depicting day and night skies, is mounted upon a large toothed wheel driven from the motion work. A gilt sun emblem traverses a silvered Roman chapter ring indicating the seasonal movement of sunrise and sunset between four and eight o’clock.

The appearance is strikingly reminiscent of later astronomical and planetarium clocks and represents an exceptionally early and rare survival of such a feature.
The large wheel also carries a pin operating a lever to advance the date automatically every twenty-four hours.

The substantial month-going movement is of excellent quality with anchor escapement and seconds pendulum.

The striking train operates upon a bell and is regulated by an external countwheel.

Clocks of this complexity and originality are exceptionally rare, particularly examples retaining such unusual astronomical features within the original untouched early case of this quality and decoration.

The maker, John Greenhill, was born in 1644, the son of Richard Greenhill, and worked in Ashford, Kent during the later 17th century. He is regarded as one of the more accomplished provincial makers of the period, producing clocks clearly influenced by the leading London workshops of makers such as Thomas Tompion and Joseph Knibb.

The sophistication of the present clock, both technically and aesthetically, strongly reflects that influence.