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Lot Essay
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Ronald A Lee, The Knibb Family Clockmakers, Byfleet, Surrey, 1964, p. 137, pl. 153 and p. 149, pl. 161, et alia; Derek Roberts, British Longcase Clocks, West Chester, Pennsylvania, 1990, p. 67, figs. 96 A and B; Dawson, Drover and Parkes, Early English Clocks, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1982, p. 204, pl. 272.
A month duration Roman striking movement of related design by Joseph Knibb was offered Christie's London, 2 July 1997, lot 82.
Roman striking uses two bells of different tones and is indicated by the use of IV (rather than the customary IIII) on the chapter ring. The smaller bell indicates the Roman I and the larger bell the Roman V. Thus, the hours I-III are struck by individual blows on the smaller bell; IV is indicated by one strike on the small bell and then one strike on the large bell; V is indicated by a single blow on the large bell; VI is given by a single blow on the large bell and another on the single bell; X uses two blows on the larger bell. The advantage of this system is that in a twelve hour period only thirty hammer blows are required, against the seventy eight required on a normal striking train; this represents a considerable saving of power, crucial on a clock which has to strike over an extended period of time.
Ronald Lee (op.cit., p.115) writes: 'Movements by Joseph of one month duration are not uncommon and no less than six examples of three months' duration made by him have come to light. The latter are all fitted with Roman notation striking.'
Ronald A Lee, The Knibb Family Clockmakers, Byfleet, Surrey, 1964, p. 137, pl. 153 and p. 149, pl. 161, et alia; Derek Roberts, British Longcase Clocks, West Chester, Pennsylvania, 1990, p. 67, figs. 96 A and B; Dawson, Drover and Parkes, Early English Clocks, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1982, p. 204, pl. 272.
A month duration Roman striking movement of related design by Joseph Knibb was offered Christie's London, 2 July 1997, lot 82.
Roman striking uses two bells of different tones and is indicated by the use of IV (rather than the customary IIII) on the chapter ring. The smaller bell indicates the Roman I and the larger bell the Roman V. Thus, the hours I-III are struck by individual blows on the smaller bell; IV is indicated by one strike on the small bell and then one strike on the large bell; V is indicated by a single blow on the large bell; VI is given by a single blow on the large bell and another on the single bell; X uses two blows on the larger bell. The advantage of this system is that in a twelve hour period only thirty hammer blows are required, against the seventy eight required on a normal striking train; this represents a considerable saving of power, crucial on a clock which has to strike over an extended period of time.
Ronald Lee (op.cit., p.115) writes: 'Movements by Joseph of one month duration are not uncommon and no less than six examples of three months' duration made by him have come to light. The latter are all fitted with Roman notation striking.'