An English Henry Thornton longcase clock with a Historicism gilt bronze mounted tortoiseshell and brass marquetry case, 18th C. and later

H 235,5 - 221,5 cm (with and without base)

The grandfather, floor or longcase clock on November 27, 2014, examined by Mrs. Elke Op de Beeck, curator at the Horlogeriemuseum and restorer of antique clocks and watches, and valued at €11.000.

The mechanism can be dated around 1730 and is in working condition.

The dial marked 'Henry Thornton - London'.

Henry Thornton (London, active 1699-1732): apprenticed to Samuel Steevens 6th June 1692. Freedom of the clockmakers's Company 5th February 1699. Baillie notes that he was working from Basing Line in 1723, later moving to Royal Exchange by 1730. He probably died in 1732.  Thornton appears to have been a fine but relatively enigmatic maker with relatively few examples of his work surviving. This is probably due to the fact that he seemed to specialize in making clocks for the export, including the Imperial Russian Court: a longcase clock by him playing six tunes in Moscow, Mr. E. Alfred Jones mentions two large chiming clocks bearing his name, one in the Winter Palace at St. Petersburg, and the other in the Troitsa Monastery near Moscow. The collection of the Czar of Russia contained two watches by him, one a repeater with a case of gold, the inner bears the hallmark for 1729/1730, and the outher repousse decoration representing St. Christophoros carrying the infant Jesus. Appears to have had a tie up with the Russian Royal family.

Condition: (UV-checked)

- The work revised in June 2000 and at that moment in working condition. The working condition not checked in 2021.

- A copy of the expert report added to the lot.

- The case needs revision (some loose brass strips, some cracks, wear to the mounts, inlay with missing pieces etc.)

- In other words: rather in a merely acceptable condition.