An unusual ‘ship’s bell’ striking table clock, Mappin and Webb, London, 1982 The eight-day two train movement wound from the rear with trains set between bell-shaped plates united by four double-screwed pillars, the going train with platform lever escapement regulated by sprung bimetallic balance and the strike train with twin hammer ‘ship’s bell’ notation sounding directly onto the heavy glass bell-shaped domed cover, the backplate stamped MAPPIN & WEBB LTD, LONDON over Serial No.069, the front applied with visible strike work and silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with trident half hour markers, Arabic five minutes within the outer track and pierced blue steel trefoil hands, set onto circular brass ropetwist edged moulded mahogany base fitted with a slightly raised glass cover with lattice-cut rim and capped with a brass carrying handle, the interior with brass plate inscribed Maritime England, 1982, 27cm (11.75ins approx.) high. The striking mechanism of the current clock mimics that of a ship’s bell being struck to announce the passing of watches undertaken by the crew on board a vessel. The bell is struck in pairs increasing by one every half hour (hence uneven strike on the half hour) up to eight blows (executed as four pairs). This strike sequence takes four hours to complete hence eight bells occurs at 4am, 8am, 12 noon etc. with each period being the traditional duration of a watch.