Mahogany Grandfather Clock, Scottland, 1820s

George III grandfather clock with silver-plated dial

Scotland (Aberdeen)
Mahogany
George III around 1820

Dimensions: H x W x D: 222 x 47 x 23 cm

:
Beautiful antique Scottish grandfather clock in an elegant and slender clock case.
The case is made of solid mahogany, with the door and the lower part of the case veneered in Cuba mahogany. The door is flanked by quarter columns, the brightly contrasting key plate provides a beautiful accent.

The head of the clock is supported by solid columns and ends at the top in two swan necks with embossed brass rosettes.
The side windows provide a clear view of the movement, while the glazed door follows the arched shape of the dial.

The dial is a real highlight. Fully silver-plated, it stands in stark contrast to the warm colour of the wood. Black hands and numerals ensure good legibility.
We see Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes. Smaller sub-dials show the seconds and the date.
Above the winding holes we find the skilfully engraved signature: William Spark ABERDEEN.
A device for stopping and starting the striking mechanism is located at the end of the arch.
The fineness of the engravings is impressive. The curves of the signature are so finely engraved that some of them are only recognisable under magnification. Please take a look at the detailed photos. The same applies to the sunray ornamentation in the corner spandrels, the fine lines of the minute numerals and the floral engravings in the arch segment.
The person who made this dial must not only have had a steady hand, but also years of experience. A true master of his trade!

The weight-driven movement is of very high quality and has a running time of eight days.
It strikes a bell on the hour and the strike can be cancelled.
William Spark's workshop in Marischal Street in Aberdeen can be traced back to around 1820.

Condition:
The movement has been completely dismantled and cleaned from the ground up, revised and readjusted. It runs perfectly, accurately and reliably.
The case has been refurbished and polished with shellac.

You can find similar grandfather clocks in the following specialised book:
Derek Roberts - The English longcase clock

The clockmaker William Spark is mentioned in the following literature:
Brian Loomes - Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World p. 729