Dreweatts Donnington Priory Salerooms
Lot 100
A George II dark green japanned eight-day longcase clock with day of the week indication and moonphase John Spinney, Blandford, circa 1740 The five pillar rack and bell striking movement with 12 inch brass break-arch dial with ringed winding holes, subsidiary seconds dial and foliate scroll border-engraved apertures for date of month and day of week incorporating finely engraved deities to the matted centre, within an applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with fluer-de-lys half hour markers and Arabic five minutes to outer track, that angles with bird and urn cast spandrels beneath rolling moonphase to arch incorporating foliate engraved lunettes, calibrated lunar disc and applied arched nameplate JOHN SPINNEY OF BLANDFORD FECIT to upper margin, in a case with domed and stepped caddy above integral pilasters to hood and break-arch trunk door decorated in raised polychrome and gilt with figures and exotic birds within an oriental garden landscape, with gilt scroll decoration to surround, on similarly decorated plinth with moulded double skirt base, (with restoration), 239cm (7ft 10ins) high. CATALOGUE ENTRY TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING THE CATALOGUING OF CLOCKS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE OR AVAILABLE FROM THE SALEROOM ON REQUEST. Two makers with the name John Spinney (presumably father and son) were known to have worked from Blandford Forum during the eighteenth century producing mainly modest thirty-hour clocks. The current lot with its unusual day of the week indication to the dial departs from their usual product, hence was possibly made to special order by a wealthy patron perhaps during the rebuilding of Blandford after the disastrous fire of 1731.
