A Very Fine George III
Mahogany Longcase Clock
by
John Holmes, London
circa 1795
The case plinth has the original double skirting and
raised rectangular panel to the front veneered with
finely figured mahogany. The breakarch trunk door is
solid mahogany and retains the original door lock and
brass hinges. The hood is flanked by reeded and stop-
chamfered angles and the break arch top is surmounted
by the original concave moulding surmounted by the
original brass ball finial with a rare flambeau cresting.
The unrestored silvered dial is signed John Holmes London
above the calendar aperture, Roman and Arabic chapter
ring and original pierced blued steel hands. Large diameter
seconds ring and a strike/silent in the arch.
The movement has five baluster pillars which secure the
two thick brass plates. The going train has the benefit of
maintaining power. The anchor escapement has an anti-
friction off-set crutch piece and the woodrod pendulum
has Ludlum’s cylindrical bob with a calibrated brass
adjustment sphere. The strike train uses a rack system
and strikes the hour on a bell above the plates.
HEIGHT: 8ft. 7in.
PRICE: £21,000
PROVENANCE
The case has the storage/shippers’ label pasted to the
backboard;
Downer & Co. Ltd Depositories, Southampton – it is
inscribed in ink for the owner; Sir V. Hobart
Our research has revealed that this is almost certainly
Sir Claud Vere Cavendish Hobart, 1870-1949. Sir Claud
was the second Baronet of Langdown (in the county of
Southampton) - his father, Sir Robert Henry Hobart (1836-
1928) had previously served as Liberal MP for the New
Forest from 1906 to 1910. He was the grandson of George
Hobart, 3
rd
Earl of Buckingham, a title created in 1746.
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