Clocktime: Selby Lowndes Tompion Grande Sonnerie Mantle Clock c1693, 06 The Backplate
Channel: Dr John C Taylor
Date: 23/04/2024

Thomas Tompion – The Selby Lowndes Tompion No. 217 full grande sonnerie and quarter-repeating ebony mantle clock.

Join Dr John C Taylor OBE from the Clocktime digital museum as he discusses the backplate of The Selby Lowndes Tompion, circa 1693.

Discover more about early and antique clocks and watches... 

https://clocktime.co.uk/artefacts/selby-lowndes-tompion


Even the back of the clock is meant to be viewed. You've got the sound fret and the wonderful fret in the door. The door itself reveals the most fantastic engraving on the backplate with Tompion's name 'Thomas Tompion Londini Fecit'. And right on the bottom of the dial is Tompion's production number No. 217. Mounted on the backplate are the two repeat arms. You can see they're pivoted here and here and each has a pull and this comes out onto the side. This is just on a pivot where this is on an arbor, which releases the quarter train, which is on this side of the clock. So, if I pull the repeat on either side, it then cocks and when you release, it sets off the quarter train. Three quarters past three in the morning. The pendulum rod is suspended on the spring here and the top of the spring is suspended on this pivoted lever arm. The rack can be adjusted from the front of the clock to lift the rack up, shortening the suspension spring or lower the rack down, lengthening the suspension spring and calibrate the clock to time. So, the whole thing is integrated by Daniel Marot into this wonderful design. Every piece is ornamented. The cocks are beautifully shaped and the whole thing makes you want to come open the back door and have a look at it and show your friends what you've got.