JOHN WILLIAMSON SMALL EBONISED BRACKET CLOCK

John Williamson Small Ebonised Bracket Clock

A highly attractive, small, striking English twin fusee Bracket Clock by John Williamson of Leeds.

This 8-day duration twin fusee movement of superb quality, has a verge escapement, brass pendulum rod with a pear shaped bob, with the earlier style of top and bottom potence. The movement sounds the hours on a bell with a brass hammer head. The backplate is decoratively engraved depicting asymmetrically scrolling foliage, as is the back cock with a small steel apron. There is a central pendulum lock and beautifully made set up springs with pinned on clicks acting on the decoratively turned click wheels, together with a centrally located, large, squared brass screw to the bottom potence, being signed in cursive script ‘John Williamson in Leeds Fecit’

The ebonised case of small proportions has four beautiful ball and spire finials, an inverted bell top with brass mounts to the sides and back, ringed bun feet, flame escutcheons to the door and topped by an asymmetrically scrolling dolphin handle incorporating eagle masks.

The 6” dial with silvered chapter ring and Roman hour numerals, inner quarter hours and outer minutes with Arabic five minute markers and fine half hour divisions, the matted centre with a decorated calendar aperture below XII. Cherubs head spandrels to the corners separated by asymmetrical engraving having exquisitely pierced and chased blued steel hands, being signed to the bottom of the dial plate: ‘Jn Williamson, Leeds, fecit’.

Although signed ‘in Leeds fecit’ it is known that John Williamson also worked in London, a fact borne out by the high standard of finish of this delightful little clock. It is unusual to find clocks of this period made in the provinces, a fact which adds to its rarity and desirability.