Tips for Dating Early Antique Longcase Clocks.

 ​It can be quite difficult dating early antique clocks. This month I will try to give you a few tips on what to look out for when you are trying to date an antique longcase clock and some examples of early clocks which I have dated to between 1720 and 1740. 

18th century longcase clocks can be difficult to date because the brass dials were square before 1720 but about this date an arch top was added to London clocks, although, some square dials were still made after this date. Some provincial dials remained square, particularly in the country areas, until about 1760, especially on some 30 hour clocks. 
8-day clocks were more expensive and usually followed the latest London designs. 17th century longcase clocks are much rarer so we will only consider early 18th century examples at the present.

Lets first look at a number of features which will help us to date an antique clock, and then I will show you five examples of how to date an antique longcase clock dating from around 1720 - 1740. 

One of the features on brass dials which we can use to date an antique clock is the Corner spandrels of which there were a number of different designs used through the 18th century:
Small cherub head 1670-1710; Twin cherubs and crown 1690-1720; Twin cherub and mace 1690-1730. Male head mask 1710-1730. Female head mask 1720- 1740. Two birds and urn 1730-1765. Four female figures (seasons) 1750-1760. Large cherub head 1750-1770. Crowned cherub head 1750-1770. Large question mark 1750-1780. Leaf scrolls 1760-1780. Branches 1760-1780.

The Arch Spandrels also show differences over time: 
Twin cherub supporting central disc, sometimes with figures above with mace or crown 1710-1730. Dolphin spandrels both sides of a disc 1730-1760. Leaf and scroll design 1760-1780.

Details on the Chapter Ring.
Half quarter hour mark on outer minute band until 1720-1740. Half hour marker dropped 1760-70. Dutch Minute (waived) band 1750-1760. Dotted minute band 1770-1780.

We can  look at the Dial Centre for clues on dating our antique longcase clocks:
Matted with a small amount of engraving before 1740; ringed around winding holes from 1690-1740; with a square date box before 1760 and round after. Engraved dial centre 1760-1780 and Lunette date aperture 1760-1780.

Separate Provincial Arches were added to square dials 1720-1735.

​Now it's time to look at some examples of longcase clocks made in London and the Provinces, to understand how we look at these features to date an antique longcase clock. 
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Figure 1: 8-day arch dial by Samuel Burgess, London

The first dial we will consider (figure 1) is an 8-day arch dial clock signed on the arch disc Samuel Burgess, London of 1720- 1730. Samuel Burgess was apprenticed in the C.C. to Thomas Hickson on 6 May 1706 and would be freed before 1720 (no freedom is recorded). The arched dial has Wheatear engraving around the edge of the dial (used 1690-1730). The corner spandrels are the male mask and the disc in the arch is supported by two cherubs. The chapter ring has both half quarter and half hour markers and the dial centre is matted with engraving around the square date aperture, has a seconds ring and turning around the winding holes.


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​Our next clock (figure 2) is an 8-day London square dial clock by Ralph Threlkeld but with a much later arch piece added. There is no engraving around the edge of the dial but it has the male mask corner spandrels, chapter ring with both the half quarter and half hour markers turning around the winding holes, but no engraving around the square date aperture. It also has a seconds ring and the clock is signed on the bottom of the chapter ring. The square dial must date from about 1730 (Ralph was in the Strand from 1710-1730) but the hour and minute hands are much later.

Figure 2: 8-day London square dial clock by Ralph Threlkeld

Figure 3: 30-hour arched dial clock by William Gill, Newcastle

In the provinces, clockmakers were attaching arch pieces to their square dials between 1720-1730 (see figure 3). Our next dial is an arched dial on a 30-hour clock with attached arch, decorated around the edge with wheatear engraving, signed by William Gill of Newcastle on the chapter ring and dated 1728 on the arch disc. William Gill (1) was working in Newcastle from 1710-1732. This would be a wedding clock with the couple’s initials engraved on the arch disc above the date. This 30-hour clock has false winding holes, square date aperture with engraving around it and a half-penny moon, indicating the different phases of the moon, in the upper dial centre. The corner spandrels are the male mask and the arch has cherubs supporting the arch disc and two mace bearing figures supporting a crown.

Another North East longcase clock, made by Samuel Ogden of Benwell (a suburb of Newcastle) (fig 4) is an 8-day marriage clock dated 1726. It too has the arch piece attached to a square dial. Ogden moved to Benwell about 1712 and died in 1728. The whole dial has the wheatear engraving around the edge, as well as some engraving in the arch which bears cherubs supporting the centre disc and above, mace-bearing figures supporting a crown. The dial centre is very busy with turning around the winding holes, engraving around the square date aperture, a half-penny moon on the left and a blank on the right. The seconds ring is at the top of the centre. The hour and minute hands on this clock, are later additions. The corner spandrels are the male mask design. Another wedding clock by the same maker, dated 1727 is illustrated in “Clockmaker’s of Northumberland and Durham”.

Figure 4: 8-day marriage clock by Samuel Ogden, Benwell. 1726.

Figure 5: 8-day clock by Fedel Barr, a German clockmaker

Our last clock is a bit of a mystery (fig. 5) which, at first glance looks like an 8-day clock of 1730-1740, may be made up with various bits and pieces. The corner spandrels are the twin cherub and crown design; the chapter ring has half hour markers but no half quarters. The dial centre is matted with no date aperture, a much later seconds ring and later hour hand. The arch, which is part of the original dial and not attached, has the dolphin spandrels for 1740-1760 and an arch disc which bears the name F. Barr, Newcastle. This is where the mystery arises because Fedel Barr, a German clockmaker, was working in Newcastle 100 years later from 1834-1842 and was in Edinburgh by 1852. Is it possible that Barr altered this clock and put his own name on the arch disc 100 years after the clock was originally made?

 Well, as you can see, it's not always easy dating an early antique clock. Sometimes there are clear features which indicate the most likely date an antique clock was made, but other times there appear to be conflicting pieces of evidence which will require more detective work in order to date the clock in question. 

Look out for the next episode in this series of blog posts where I will be looking at and dating some later 18th century longcase clocks. In the mean time, happy clock collecting and dating...but buyer... be aware of those marriages of convenience!!

If you would like to learn more about early clock and watchmakers, please do check out my two books:
Clockmakers of Northumberland and Durham   and Early clock and watchmakers of the Blacksmiths Company. 

If you would like to read some of my earlier posts, you can find these by category or by date in the right-hand side bar OR see an overview of all posts here.