John Moys Croydon. Red Lacquer/ Gilt Chinoiserie. C 1730
A very original and superbly patinated red lacquer/ gilt chinoiserie longcase clock dating to around 1730. Maker John Moys Croydon. With 5-pillar movement, striking the hours on a bell, and with strike/ silent.
The clock is fully working having been comprehensively cleaned and serviced, tested and regulated.
Lacquer/ chinoiserie clocks became fashionable during the early 1700s and continued to be made for most of the 18thcentury. The ‘ground’ comes in different colours, most commonly black, red is one of the rarer and most desirable varieties. The decoration on lacquer clocks can be fragile, particularly over 100s of years, so many have been ‘re-done’ at a later date. This one is remarkable as it seems to retain its original decoration for the most part. The patination is superb, the red ground has faded slightly but if you look closely you can see a ‘crazing’ effect, much like an old master painting, where the darker pigment outlines the lighter hue. The gilt decoration has also mellowed but importantly is still present on all panels.
John Moys is listed as working in Croydon (London) around 1730. The clock certainly shows features typical for this period, perhaps a little earlier: silvered brass dial with finely matted centre incorporating engraved patterning around the date aperture and birds higherup, ringed winders, chapter ring with half-hour markers, chevron edging to the dial, silvered name boss to the arch. A particularly attractive dial in my opinion.
The movement is typical London quality of the period with 5 knopped and ringed pillars separating the plates. It has rack strike which was becoming more popular at this time taking over from the earlier countwheel.
The clock is complete with brass-faced pendulum, brass-cased weights, winder and trunk door key (working lock).
Overall height including centre finial is 91 inches.