Dreweatts 1759
Lot 399
A fine George III mahogany musical longcase clock with automaton Samuel Deacon, Barton-in-the-Beans for Robotham, Leicester, dated 1788 The substantial eight-day triple train movement with decoratively shaped thick plates united by four generous baluster-turned pillars enclosing large barrels with concealed winding clicks, the going train with anchor escapement regulated by seconds pendulum with distinctive heavy ring-turned bob mounted on decorative brass slider, the hour striking train with counting via pins set into the rim of the great wheel and sounding on a bell vertically planted above the plates, the music train released every three hours via additional pins in the strike train great wheel to play one from a selection of seven lively tunes automatically selected on a daily basis via a 5 inch pinned cylinder and graduated nest of twelve bells with twelve hammers transversely planted to the upper right hand corner of the movement within Y shaped rear sub plate extension incorporating conforming pair of fine baluster and single long columnar pillar, the frontplate engraved with decorative scroll initials S. D. B. incorporating date 1788, the 14 inch white painted Roman numeral break-arch dial inscribed ROBOTHAM and with day-of-the week tune indication dial to centre, fine engraved and pierced gilt brass hands, Arabic five minutes to outer track and floral spray polychrome decorated spandrels beneath arch finely painted with figural automaton scene of a quintet with six separate movements operated via linkages connected to the musical work behind, in a swan neck pedimented case with fretwork leafy tendril infill over hinged break-arch glazed and crossbanded hood door flanked by Corinthian columns, the sides with rosette-pierced sound frets and shaped bargeboards to the rear, the trunk with concave throat moulding and swollen frieze over shaped-top caddy moulded door flanked by fluted quarter columns, on shaped raised panel fronted plinth base with moulded skirt incorporating shaped apron, 249cm (98ins) high. Samuel Deacon is recorded in Hewitt, P.A. THE DEACON FAMILY OF LEICESTERSHIRE CLOCKMAKERS as born in Ratby, Leicestershire on 6th February 1746 and, after initially going in to farm service, he was offered an apprenticeship with the clockmaker Joseph Donisthorpe (as a result of a chance recognition of his practical abilities). In 1769 Deacon was employed as a journeyman to the Leicester clockmaker Thomas Lindley before setting up on his own as a clockmaker in the small hamlet Barton-in-the-Beans in 1771. Whilst in Leicester Deacon became acquainted with the Rev. William Ludlam who went on to tutor Deacon on the theoretical aspects of clockmaking as well as hone his skills on the practical side with particular attention to musical clocks. These skills enabled him to set-up business on his own in a highly cost-effective manner as he was able to make most of his workshop tools rather than buy them. In 1803 his wife, Elizabeth, died after a short illness; Samuel died after a stroke in 1816 leaving the business in the hands of his cousin, also named Samuel. The workshop passed down through successive generations until 1951 when the last of the Deacon clockmakers, Thomas William retired. Leicester Museums acquired the contents of the workshop and archive preserving it as one of the only 18th century clockmaking workshops to remain intact. Samuel Deacon s work is highly distinctive with many features such as baluster pillars, use pin countwheel, distinctive design of pendulum and hammer shapes making his work unmistakeable. In addition to making work for clients Deacon also supplied parts, movements or complete clocks to other local makers. Indeed his records indicate that he first started supplying the maker Robotham of Leicester in 1778. In 1774 Samuel Deacon advertised the fact that he was able to make musical clocks with the first being a four train quarter-chiming musical clock built under the direction of Ludlam for Lindley to supply to Samuel Darker of Tugby. This clock is described and extensively illustrated in Darken, Jeff (editor) TIME & PLACE, English Country Clocks 1600-1840 on pages 186-191. In 1790 Samuel Deacon made his masterpiece - a four train quarter chiming musical clock with interchangeable cylinders and automaton for the Rev. Severn of Hinckley. Both of these complex musical clocks share strong similarities with the current lot, the first most noticeably in its basic layout incorporating transverse music barrel, the second with the inclusion of an automaton depicting musicians, whilst all three share a wealth of details typical of Deacon s finest work. The current lot presents as a fine example of this highly regarded regional maker s work and is in fine original condition.
