Antique second pendulum grandfather clock with musical movement

Dimensions: H x W x D: 197 x 47 x 23 cm

Description:
Highly decorative and extremely exquisitely crafted second pendulum clock from the late 18th century.

The clockwork case made of solid and veneered mahogany wood stands on a cut-out base frame. The wood shows its full beauty above all on the slightly recessed centre section of the body. The austere head, bevelled on the front sides, has side windows that allow a view of the exceptionally solid movement.

Mounted between thick brass plates, the seconds pendulum movement has an 8-day power reserve and is equipped with a quarter-hourly carillon with Whittington chime. The hour strikes on a gong mounted on the rear wall of the head. When the door is open, we can see a small lever at the top right for switching off the striking mechanism.
The gear train is filigree and cleanly cut, with four legs in each of the individual cogwheels. In one of the attached photos, you can see the counter-lock of the movement, which ensures that the movement continues to run smoothly during winding. Also worth mentioning is the heavy pendulum suspension made from a solid piece of brass.
The pulleys for suspending the three brass-coated weights are similarly solid. Behind them swings the pendulum, typical of clocks of this type, with a wooden pendulum rod set in brass sleeves. A knurled nut for regulating the rate is located underneath the lead-cast brass pendulum bob.

The decorative, silver-plated solid brass dial bears the finely engraved signature: Richard James - Red Lion Square - London. Richard James is documented as having had his workshop in Red Lion Square from 1791.
The numerals on a light-coloured background are also engraved and inlaid with black shellac to ensure that the time is easy to read. We see Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the decentralised seconds display.

Condition:
The case and movement are in very good condition. The movement has been completely dismantled and cleaned from top to bottom. The clock runs absolutely reliably and accurately.