TABLE CLOCK Cha’Lowndes Pall Mall Ca. 1695 England

M&R17

TABLE CLOCK
Signed: Cha’Lowndes Pall Mall
Circa 1695
England

Movement
The spring-driven double-fusee brass movement consists of going and striking trains. The going train has verge escapement with short pendulum and knife-edge suspension. The striking indicates the hours fully on a bell and the half hours on a smaller bell. The backplate is profusely engraved depicting leaf and floral motifs around a cartouche with the signature of the maker Cha’ Lowndes Pall Mall.

Dial
The square dial has a silvered chapter ring with Roman hour, half-hour, quarter-hour, 7½-minute, Arabic five-minute and minute divisions. There is a date aperture under the XII, whilst above it is a strike/silent lever. The time is indicated by a fine pair of pierced and sculpted blued steel hands. The centre is matted. The corners of the dial are embellished by pierced spandrels in the shape of a winged-cherub heads. The maker has signed the movement at the bottom of the chapter ring VI Cha’ Lowndes Pall Mall.

Case
The ebonised fruitwood veneered oak case has a so-called domed top and glazed panels to the sides. The dome is embellished by gilt cast-brass ornaments and is surmounted by a gilt-brass carrying handle. The whole rests on four gilt-brass bun feet

Duration 1 week

Height 33 cm. (incl. handle 38 cm.)
Width 24 cm.
Depth 15.5 cm.

*Price on request

Literature
Brian Loomes, Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, London, 2006, p. 495.

The maker
Charles Lowndes was active as a clockmaker in St Martin in the Fields, later on Pall Mall, Westminster, London. He was a member of the Clockmakers’ Company from1682 to 1724. He was probably the brother of Jonathan Lowndes, who was also based on Pall Mall.