ALEXANDER HEWITT, LONDON. A WILLIAM AND MARY EBONY VENEERED BRACKET CLOCK the caddy top case with applied gilt brass pierced mounts and 'Quare style' S scroll handle above a glazed door with applied gilt escutcheons and pierced sound fret, the sides with matching sound frets and rectangular glazed aperture. The 6 3/4" gilt brass dial having foliate engraved decoration and winged cherub head spandrels with silvered chapter ring surrounding a matted and engraved centre with calendar aperture above VI and mock pendulum aperture above, the top corners with two subsidiary dials for regulation and Strike/Not strike. The substantial twin fusee movement with six finned knopped pillars and rise and fall verge escapement striking the hours on a bell and pull repeating the quarters on a nest of five bells, fine tulip-engraved and signed backplate.

36cm high

Alexander Hewitt was born in 1671. In March 1685 he was an apprentice to Benjamin Bell until 1692 and inherited his tools in 1691. He was a clockmaker but is believed to have been a member of the Currier's company on whose roll he signed the 1697 oath of allegiance to the King and in which company he took several apprentices. He was married on the 4th April 1695 at St. Botophs Bishopgate to Sarah Cole and had six children. Judging by the quality of this movement he certainly was a very competent clockmaker.