A SMALL MAHOGANY REPLICA OF JAMES FERGUSON’S TIDAL LONGCASE CLOCK

The case with a broken arched hood and brass finial, above glazed door and sides, the trunk with an arched door, above panelled base and plinth; the 9in arched silvered dial inscribed to the upper left J. Ferguson inv. / London / Ca. 1780 and signed to the upper right G. H. Bell Fecit / Winchester Ca. 1971, the arch engraved with the estuary showing a blue-painted rising and falling shutter depicting the tidal movement, above twenty-four hour chapter ring, enclosing a blue painted ring with ‘sunburst’ hand showing the time; centred by a disc rotating anti-clockwise once every 29 1/2 days, engraved The Moon’s Age, the time of her Southing and time of High Water at London Bridge, with cut-outs to take the readings on engraved and painted discs, the next circlet inscribed High Water and Low Water twice, with an engraved ellipse showing the state of the tides, the A-frame-shaped movement with four knopped pillars, anchor escapement and large drum-shaped weight running on a wire line, wound by a continuous chain, brass cylindrical bob pendulum

203cm high

This movement is a replica of one made by Ferguson and detailed in his 1773 compendium Select Mechanical exercises: Shewing how to construct different Clock, Orrieries and Sundials.  It was sold Bonhams, New York, 7 June 2016, lot 147.

Ebenezer Henderson, Life of James Ferguson, FRS, Edinburgh 1867

Henry C. King, Geared to the Stars, Toronto, 1978.

Condition report

The clock is in good condition.  Together with its weight and pendulum.  The movement would benefit from a clean.