Upright equation longcase clock with an oak carcase veneered in burr walnut and fitted with water gilt brass mounts. The hood is supported on gilt brass scrolled brackets and the base is supported on gilt brass leaf scrolls joined by garlands which spring in the centre of the front from two winged putto heads. Pierced brass panels decorate the sides of the hood and the frieze and cornice above the clockface. The whole is crowned by a gilt bronze figure of a flying putto (which may be a later replacement).

The water gilt and burnished face of the clock in engraved with a scroll work border, has silvered dials and chased gilt spandrels. The centre is of matted gilt. The outer dial with time apparent, the inner dial is pierced with a fan shaped aperture displaying a dial for the days of the week engraved with mythological figures corresponding to the planets after which each day is named. Below the inner dial is a square window displaying the days of the month; above is a fan shaped opening showing dials for the month below the signs of the zodiac and the sun's position in the ecliptic. The mechanism comprises a one year going timepiece with weight movement and recoil escapement. A pair of fine pierced and blue steeled hands.

The mechanism has two large plates and a smaller front plate all held in places by latches. Between the two largest plates and, at the top of the movement, at the back is a slim barrel with a large drive wheel. This clock is driven by an extremely heavy weight and the line goes through the bottom pillar and attaches to the top pillar on the clocks right hand side. Below the barrel wheel is a wheel with its arbour and pinion going through the middle plate to drive the rest of the train. Most of the train is set between the large middle plate and the smaller front plate. The centre wheel that carries the minute hand revolves once every 2 hours and the hour wheel revolves once every 24 hours.

A bolt and shutter maintaining power mechanism works against the centre wheel to keep the clock going during its annual wind. The escape wheel is at the bottom of the train with the recoil pallets and crutch arm hanging below. The pendulum is hung below the front of the movement.

In the motion work there is a long arbour with a worm gear at both ends that runs up to the large date wheel and complicated equation work at the top of the movement. The equation transfers the information on a lever and rack back down to the central motion work wheel that carries the time apparent dial moving it back and forwards depending on the date. There is a further set of wheels working from the central motion work operating the days of the week. Running off the same set of wheels is a complicated date wheel with its own mechanism for its perpetual calendar.

This clock shares several features with Tompion’s other royal commissions, notably the use of finely figured walnut and the well-chased and distinctive gilt bronze mounts, all probably provided by the same (unknown) subcontractor. The nearest comparison is probably the so-called ‘Record’ Tompion, now at Colonial Williamsburg, which was made for William III.

Catalogue entry adapted from George III & Queen Charlotte: Patronage, Collecting and Court Taste, London, 2004

Pictoral Inventory RCIN 934886