Rare Antique 1825 English Tavern Clock, Act of Parliament Clock, HUGE, 53 Inches

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Rare Antique 1825 English Tavern Clock, Act of Parliament Clock, HUGE, 53 Inches:
$2600.00

NO SHIPPING, This item will have to be picked up in person.

Terms: Cash in person. This way you will be able to inspect the clock in person, see it running, and listen to the chimes before making payment. Contact us regarding payment options if you would like to arrange your own shipping we can work with you. Sorry, no Paypal because we cannot ship.

The clock will probably need to be adjusted once it is moved and set up.

Layaway available on this item. Please contact seller for layaway terms prior to purchase.

RARE English Tavern/Act of Parliament Clock

Maker: William Francis

Origin: English

Age: 1825Size: 53\" high x 19\" Wide, Dial Chapter Ring measures 12 1/4\"

Description:

THIS CLOCK IS MUCH LARGER THAN IT APPEARS. This clock is very large and stands 5 feet 5 inches high. As you can see in the photos, the clock has a lot of character and is very attractive and will make quite a statement in your home.

This is circa 1825 and is a fine example of an early Tavern clock, or commonly known as an Act of Parliament clock. The case made of a combination of mahogany and oak, which is actually not that uncommon (the main body is mahogany and the clock head is dark oak). NO this is not a marriage, all of the holes line up perfectly and there are no extra holes in the case. If you look on the internet for examples and read the book, English Dial Clocks, by Ronald Rose, you can see examples of Tavern clocks that were made with a combination of mahogany and oak wood. This case style is commonly referred to as an East Anglian or Norwich type of tavern clock. This clock could date earlier than 1825, but based on the movement, dial, case construction and movement construction, I am confident to estimate this clock near or at 1825.

The movement mounting frame is signed \"W. Francis, Birmingham\" and the dial is signed JA Condliff, so it is relatively easy to date this clock. There is a lot of information on the internet and various books have information about both William Francis and James Condliff.

This is an absolutely great looking clock and Tavern clocks rarely come up for sale and considering its age it has held up very nicely.

The clock has several minor flaws which I will discuss, but nothing serious or that is a distraction. I look at most of it as age patina on a piece that has been used for many many years.

The convex glass is a replacement on the original cast brass bezel, the door lock and key is old and period, but not original. The upper bezel door lock is long gone, but the bezel stays shut just fine without it. There are several small edge veneer pieces which are gone and can be seen in the photo and it looks as though someone stained the wood to match the veneer so I would leave it as is. The backboard wood has some slight age shrinkage which has caused a small gap in the back. When I got the clock two of the four wood pegs to hold the clock head to the main case were missing and the other two were worn beyond use so I replaced them with newer ones, which need to be stained. The dial has been PROFESSIONALLY repainted on the original iron pan by the prior owner. According to family members this was done about 20 years ago and there are a few small marks on the dial, but I have not tried to clean them. The hands are old cut steel and fit perfectly, but not the style I would expect to find on a clock of this era. They style of the hands actually date about 20 years earlier than the case, but I will leave the decision of originality up to the new owner. The trim around one of the side access doors is gone, but you can use the trim on the other side to match the wood and stain color if you wish. The weights are old and period and weigh 8.5 lbs each, but unknown if original, I would almost expect an oval shaped weight for this clock, but again I leave it up to you.

Please understand that this clock is almost 200 years old and has wear consistent with age. I have described all the significant or obvious issues, but I am not going to list every small scratch or wear area, that should be assumed when you are buying a piece this old.

The original movement is an 8-day time and strike and strikes the hours on a huge iron bell. The pendulum is original to the clock. The clock has been running for the past month, but when I first hung it the strike side was a little sluggish and took about 10 seconds for the strike gears to get moving. Once the clock has been consistently running, the strike side operates fine. My guess is that it needs a good cleaning service since it was sitting idol on the wall for many years.

Also, when I obtained the clock, two teeth on the center cam gear were sheered off, so I sent the gear sent off and the repair professionally done by a clock shop that specializes in gear cutting and repair. The repair is so well done that you literally have to look really close to see it.

If you need more pictures sent, please let me know and I can send them.

*Wecannot guarantee that any clock will be runningafter being jostled around in shipping and or moving.Vintage and antique clocks require routine cleaning and oiling service and may need adjustments after shipping such as being put back in beat, (much like a piano needs tuning after moving). We do not cover buyers cost forrestorations,service, cleaningor maintenance.

Sales Tax:

The State of California requires sales tax to becollected forsaleswithinCalifornia. If you pick up this item in person, local sales tax will be added to your order regardless of where you live. However, if you are out of state and arranging your own shipping, you will be exempt from paying sales tax. Resellers may provide valid permit number.