Table or bracket clock
Thomas Tompion
ca. 1696 · Case: ebony veneered on oak with gilded- and silvered-brass fittings; Movement: brass and steel · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
This portable clock has a repeating mechanism allowing it to strike on the quarter hour and hour, a valuable feature in darkness. Except for special commissions, the cases of Tompion table clocks tended to be rather sober. Where ebony was used, the clockmaker relied on the pleasing effect of the plain black surface to contrast with the gold and silver of the dial and applied hardware (the vase-shaped finials were added by a later owner).
- Artist
- Thomas Tompion
- Date
- ca. 1696
- Medium
- Case: ebony veneered on oak with gilded- and silvered-brass fittings; Movement: brass and steel
- Culture
- British, London
- Department
- European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
- Credit line
- Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
