A fine George II mahogany table clock with pull quarter repeat and carved mouldings. Delander, Lo

A fine George II mahogany table clock with pull quarter repeat and carved mouldings. Delander, London, circa 1730. The six pillar bell striking movement with rise/fall regulation for the verge escapement and pull quarter repeat on a nest of six graduated bells, the backplate boldly signed Delander, London to centre, the 6.5 inch brass break-arch dial with false bob aperture and arched cartouche further signed Delander, London to the matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with Arabic five minutes to outer track, the angles applied with unusual basket of flowers and scroll cast spandrels, the arch with subsidiary regulation dial flanked by Indian mask and scroll cast mounts, the inverted bell-top top case with cast brass handle above ribbon tied foliate carved raised mouldings bordering the front door aperture flanked by egg-and-dart decorated caddy-moulded angles, the sides with conforming raised mouldings to the circular over concave-topped apertures, the rear door with break-arch window and remnants of the original foliate pierced sound frets to upper quadrants, on cavetto moulded base with squab feet, (case with some losses to veneers, lacking pendulum), 42cm (16.5ins) high. Daniel Delander was apprenticed to Charles Halstead in 1692, although possibly in name only (in order to circumvent the Clockmakers` Company rules regarding number of apprentices allowed) as he was known to be working in Tompion`s workshop in 1693. Delander gained his Freedom in 1699 and continued for a few years working as journeyman with Tompion. He subsequently set up on his own working from Devereux Court before moving to `within Temple Bar`, Fleet Street from where he is thought to have worked until his death in 1733. Daniel Delander was succeeded by his son, Nathaniel who gained his Freedom of the Clockmakers` Company in 1721, he is recorded working from Fleet Street and later Royal Exchange, was appointed Master of the Clockmakers` Company in 1747 and died 1762. The working relationship between Daniel and Nathaniel Dalender appears to be unknown except for the fact that Nathaniel succeeded his father in 1733, however it is possible that they worked in partnership during the latter years of Daniel`s career, hence why many of the clocks from this period are signed with the surname only. Daniel Delander`s work often demonstrates his former Master`s influence in particular the consideration given to the proportions and detail finish as well as the workmanship and specification of the movements. Delander was never one to let fashion overtake him, always being at the cutting edge with regards to design and use of materials. He is perhaps best known for his exquisite small walnut precision longcase clocks with duplex escapements made during the 1720`s as well as the silver mounted grande sonnerie table clock formerly in the Rous Lench Collection which is illustrated in Dawson, Percy G., Drover, C.B., and Parkes, D.W. Early English Clocks on page 411. The current lot, with its carved mouldings, can be directly compared to another example by Delander sold at Phillips, New Bond Street, Clocks and Watches 17/12/1996 lot 174. These two clocks differ in that the example sold at Phillips is veneered in walnut (but is of exactly the same proportions with the same pattern of carved mouldings) and has silver spandrels of a pattern used on earlier clocks by Delander. This suggests that the current lot is marginally later in date, perhaps dating to very shortly after the import duty for mahogany was lifted in 1727. A third, perhaps marginally later again, mahogany cased clock from the Delander workshop was sold at Christie`s, London Important Clocks and Watches 4/07/1990 which shares the same proportions and specification (including a backplate with signature on a plain background) but has simpler linear raised mouldings. The restrained approach to the movement backplate, which is plain except for a finely scripted signature, demonstrates the influence of Tompion`s successor, George Graham who shared Delander`s refined confident approach.