A FINE AND RARE EARLY GEORGE II EBONISED QUARTER REPEATING VERGE BRACKET TIMEPIECE

The case with an inverted bell-top and knopped brass handle, above a moulded cornice, with glazed panel door and a glazed panel to each side, with glazed rear door, on a stepped base and block feet, the 6 1/2in arched brass dial, with calendar subsidiary in the arch with finely sculpted blued steel hands and flanked by a shaped spandrel to each side with an open-mouthed male mask wearing feather headdress amongst foliate scrolls, above four further male mask spandrels enclosing the silvered chapter ring with Roman chapters and fleur-de-lys half hour markers between Arabic five-minute markers to the outer edge, with a finely matted centre, with oval signature panel engraved Quare & Horseman 304 London, above a false pendulum aperture and with finely cut blued steel hands, the gut fusée five-pillar movement with finely engraved backplate, signed and numbered, with pendulum adjustment block and repeating the quarters on two bells

40cm high excluding handle

Daniel Quare was probably born in Somerset in 1647.  Moving to London, he gained his Freedom in 1671.  By 1686 he had a workshop at Exchange Alley, London, and his reputation grew as a watch and clockmaker.  William III offered him the post of King's watchmaker, a position he was unable to accept, however, since a Quaker could not swear an oath of allegiance to the King.  Nevertheless, the King's patronage continued and he became known as 'Quare of the backstairs' as this was his usual way into Hampton Court Palace:  his year-going longcase clock is still in the King’s bedroom today. He was Master of the Clockmaker's Company in 1708 and died in 1724.

In 1721 he took into partnership a former apprentice, Stephen Horseman, also a Quaker.  Horseman had married Quare's niece, Mary Savage, in 1712.  Following Quare's death,  Horseman continued the business, signing ‘Quare & Horseman’, until going bankrupt in 1730.

In Kenney's article in Antiquarian Horology, he lists No. 305 as the last clock signed Quare & Horseman, circa 1730.  Here we have No. 304, the penultimate production from this eminent partnership.

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

Antiquarian Horology, Vol. 37, March 2016, George Kenney, Daniel Quare's numbered Clocks, p. 37-54.

CONDITION REPORT

The clock is in very good condition and is working. With two case keys.