Beschreibung:

A exceptional George III carved mahogany longcase clock with astronomical dial James Barnsley. Circa 1770 The case plinth resting on ogee bracket feet with carved mahogany frets to the canted angles, the front panel decorated with carved mahogany quatrefoils, trunk flanked by cluster columns with foliate carved capitals, the Gothic-arched door with chequer stringing, further Gothic carved frieze beneath the hood with ogee-moulded door and flanked by detached fluted columns, the elaborately carved pediment with carved rosette terminals to the swan-neck cresting surmounted by carved mahogany finials, the dial signed James Barnsley and re-engraved London on recessed silvered plaques in the matted centre with seconds ring, pierced blued steel hands, Apollo mask-and-foliate spandrels to the lower quadrant, subsidiary silvered rings above for calendar (1-31) and Strike/Silent , the arch centred by a painted rolling moonphase with the moon's age engraved to the outer edge, the narrow outer concentric ring engraved with the years and their relevant sign, the centre painted with a charming village scene with buildings and a man fishing by a river bank, the recessed surround finely painted with the signs of the zodiac indicated to by the sunrise/sunset shutters rising and falling according to the season and with a further sun hand moving once a day against the outer silvered hour ring engraved IIII - XII - VIII, the very substantial movement with thick brass rectangular plates secured by vase-shaped pillars, Graham-type deadbeat escapement, the going with delicate high count train with six crossings to each wheel, strike train with four crossings, solid barrels, bolt-and-shutter maintaining power, worm-and-wheel indirect drive shaft to the revolving sun, hour rack strike on a bell above the plates 8ft. 1in. (248 cm.) high