Beschreibung:

Fearnly, Wigan an oak longcase clock the eight-day duration movement striking the hours on a bell, the thirteen-inch square brass dial having a raised silvered chapter ring engraved with black Roman numerals and Arabic five-minute outer markings, the silvered centre engraved with floral and rococo decoration and having subsidiary seconds and date dials, with cast-brass rococo style spandrels to the four corners and decorative blued steel hands, the oak case cross-banded in mahogany and having fluted quarter columns to the trunk with cast-brass capitals, the hood having fluted pillars with cast-brass capitals, a blind fret to the front frieze and surmounted by a swan-neck pediment with three eagle-and-ball brass finials, with canted corners to the base and all standing on bracket feet, height 230cm, including finial. *Note A clock signed for Fearnly in a similar style to this example and housed in an oak case is illustrated in Clockmakers of Northern England, by Brian Loomes, published by Mayfield Books, 1997. *Biography. Peter Fearnley was a well-known and prolific maker described by Arthur Hawkes, Borough Librarian of Wigan 1919-1950 as 'a clockmaker of importance', with the first reference to him being the birth of his daughter Alice in March 1777, thereafter numerous other of his children are recorded. He came to prominence when given the contract to build a new clock for the parish church, with various vestry records giving an insight into the procedure. His wife Ann Lawson, from the clockmaking Lawson family, died in June 1821, aged 67, followed by Peter himself in 1826 aged 77. * Note. Reference Arthur J Hawkes, the Clockmakers and Watchmakers of Wigan, published by the author 1950, pages 64 - 69, chapter Peter Fearnley, Contemporaries and Successors.