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Longcase clock: M.14-1955

Object information

Awaiting location update

Maker(s)

Clockmaker: Porthouse

Entities

Categories

Description

Dial: Break-arch brass dial plate, 14 inches wide, the silvered centre engraved with scrolling foliage, and with bold rococo spandrels of a North Country type. Silvered chapter ring with the days of the month on the inner edge. Silvered lunar dial in arch with the moon's age engraved round its edge. At top of arch a curved silvered plaque engraved ‘Joseph & Ann Harrison 1772'. Rare type of tidal dial in segmental opening below dial centre. This is engraved ‘HW' (High Water), ‘HE' (High Ebb), ‘LW' (Low Water) and ‘HF' (High Flood) twice and accom¬panied by a continuous seascape with ships at High Water but not at Low Water. Pierced and blued steel hands with a simple steel calendar hand.

Movement: 8 day movement with rack striking and anchor escapement.

Case: Mahogany carcase veneered with figured mahogany and with mahogany cross banding to trunk door and raised plinth panel. Canted corners to plinth, fluted quarter columns to trunk, and detached fluted col¬umns having turned wooden capitals and bases to hood. Blind fret above trunk door. Blue glass panels in frieze with gilt decoration of birds and foliage. Horn-top pediment with brass paterae and central brass finial surmounted by an eagle. Square super¬structure at corners of hood. An old paper stuck on inside of trunk door states `This clock was set up in the ‘Hards', Abbey Town, Cumberland in the year 1772'. It was removed from there in 1892. It is in its original state and is attributed to ‘Porthouses' Penrith 1770.

Notes

History note: Joseph and Ann Harrison, 'Hards', Abbey Town, Cumberland, from 1772-1892; uncertain until donor

Legal notes

Given by Lt. Col. Edward Limb

Measurements and weight

Height: 243.8 cm
Height: 8 ft

Place(s) associated

  • Penrith ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1955-10-19) by Limb, Edward

Dating

18th Century, third quarter
George III
Production date: AD 1772

Note

A typical Lancashire type case, see Documentation, Roberts, 1990.

Components of the work

Carcase composed of mahogany
Cross Banding composed of mahogany
Veneer composed of mahogany
Finial Height 3 in

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: An old paper stuck on

  • Text: `This clock was set up in the ‘Hards', Abbey Town, Cumberland in the year 1772'. It was removed from there in 1892. It is in its original state and is attributed to ‘Porthouses' Penrith 1770.
  • Location: Inside the trunk door
  • Type: Label

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.14-1955
Primary reference Number: 162436
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 25 February 2020 Last processed: Wednesday 13 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Longcase clock" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/162436 Accessed: 2024-12-22 23:09:26

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/162436 |title=Longcase clock |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-22 23:09:26|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-162436

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