Lot 266

John Wise, Londini fecit, 160 x 160 x 120 mm, circa 1660
A large, one-handed square cased table clock with hour self strike
Case: ebony-veneered oak, ball feet, rear bell. Dial: brass, gilt, tulip engravings in the corners, applied silvered brass chapter ring with radial Roman hours. Movm.: square massive brass movement, gut/fusee, 2 barrels, 1 hammer, locking plate with internal teeth, verge escapement, three-arm iron balance, 1 day power reserve.
English watchmaker John Wise was born in 1624 in Banbury. He was a nephew of Joseph Knibb, John Knibb and Samuel Knibb. From 1638 on he apprenticed with T. Dawson and Peter Closon; he was freed from the Clockmakers Company in 1646. Six of his 10 children also became watchmakers and most of them trained with their father - Richard Wise, John Wise junior, Joseph Wise, Robert Wise and Thomas Wise.
Source: www.watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Wise,_John_(1), as of 11/07/2016
This clock is illustrated and described in: H.M. Vehmeyer "Clocks their origin and development 1320-1880", Vol. II, Wilsele 2004, p 532f.; a brand-new edition of this two-volume book (in original packaging) is part of the lot.

Sold