Page 26 - Demo

3 John Knibb, Oxford
A very rare silver-mounted olivewood, ebony and boxwood parquetry month-going longcase clock
Circa 1685
Height 6 foot 41⁄4 inches
CASE
The elegant case is entirely veneered with olivewood oysters on an oak carcass; set into the veneers are geometric parquetry paterae flowers in boxwood and ebony. The plinth has restored bun feet and a fine quality moulding just beneath the trunk door, which has iron hinges and a central oval brass-framed lenticle. The rising hood has a convex throat moulding and is flanked by walnut twist columns surmounted by a silk-back pierced walnut sound fret.
DIAL
The fully latched 10 inch square dial is signed John Knibb Oxon Fecit at the base interrupting a wheatear-engraved border. The very delicate silver skeletonised chapter ring has Roman chapters with trident half hour markers and an outer concentric ring with every minute engraved; the centre of the dial has low-position winding holes and a calendar aperture just beneath chapter XII, the most unusual blued steel hour and minute hands are beautifully pierced and sculpted.
It is believed that there are only two extant John Knibb of Oxford clocks with silver chapter rings:
1. A phase II table clock, with ebony case, silver mounts, velvet dial and a plain silver chapter ring
2. The present clock with its skeletonised chapter ring.
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