A fine Charles II ebonised thirty-hour longcase clock with unusual figural engraved 10 inch dial Unsigned but possibly by John Wise, London, circa 1678 The four-finned and latched pillar bell striking movement with plates measuring 6.75 by 4.75 inches and anchor escapement regulated by seconds pendulum, the strike train with double-cut external countwheel and sounding on a large vertically planted bell supported above the plates on a large triangular iron stand screwed to the backplate, the 10 inch square brass dial finely engraved with figures morphing into bold foliate scrolls depicting a Centaur with a bow and arrow challenging a dolphin over a trumpeting putto and incorporating calendar aperture to centre, within an applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised fleur-de-lys half hour markers and Arabic five minutes within the outer minute track, with fine generous scroll-pierced sculpted steel hands and the upper spandrels engraved with reclining naked figures of Chronos to the left opposing a cellist to the right, the lower spandrels with stylised foliate designs within line scribed border to the edge of the dial plate, the case with triangular pediment over generous ogee moulded cornice, plain frieze and Solomonic twist three-quarter columns flanking the fixed dial aperture, the sides with large rectangular windows and conforming quarter columns set against bargeboards at the rear, the trunk with convex throat moulding over 41 inch rectangular door centred with an oval lenticle and with early type eagle-head cast brass escutcheon mount within D-moulded surround, on plinth base with stepped ogee top moulding and bun feet, 204.5cm (80.5ins) high. The current lot is extensively photographed and described in Darken, Jeff and Hooper, John English 30-Hour Clocks Origin & Development 1600-1800 pages 59-63 and 324. In addition of having the rare feature of a double-cut countwheel (that revolves once rather than twice every twenty-four hours), Darken and Hooper also note that the wheels are mounted directly onto shaped and tapered arbors without the use of collets. The inverted Y-shaped bell support is also highlighted with this feature leading Darken and Hooper to confidently suggest an attribution to John Wise senior (along with the countwheel and general 'feel' of the movement). Finally the cataloguer also notes that the turning of the movement pillars, with the fins being divided from the knops by fluid u-shaped channels, is executed in a manner often seen in movements by the Wise family; an example sharing this detail by Thomas Wise was sold in these rooms 7th September 2010 (lot 112). Indeed the movement is very well built with confident detailing and generous use of materials throughout which certainly befits a maker of Wise's calibre. John Wise senior is recorded in Loomes, Brian Clockmakers of Britain 1286-1700 as born in Banbury, Oxfordshire in 1624 and apprenticed to Peter Closon through Thomas Dawson in 1638, gaining his Freedom in October 1646. He apparently lived in Warwick 1653-68 where he repaired the clocks at St. Nicholas and St. Mary`s churches, the latter providing the venue for the baptism of three of his children. He moved back to London in 1669 where he was re-admitted to the Clockmakers` Company by redemption. He took many apprentices including no less than six of his sons; Richard (Free 1679), John (Free 1683), Thomas (Free 1686), Joseph (Free 1687), Peter (Free 1693) and Luke (Free 1694). He worked from 'neer the Popeshead in Moorfields' and was recorded as a recusant in 1682/3. John Wise senior died in 1690 and was buried at St. Andrew's, Holborn. The extraordinary engraved decoration to the dial of the current lot is both very fine in its execution and highly original in its design. Although extremely unusual this particular type of decoration is not unique as one or two other examples are known to exist including a hooded wall clock and a dial from which the upper spandrel decorations were transcribed and used to decorate the cover and frontispiece of W.F. Bruce's 2013 catalogue of EARLY ENGLISH LANTERN CLOCKS 1615-1700. Finally the case being ebonised pine is a notably rare survivor. The hood has the early feature of large side windows and has not been cut for a door at the front. Although retains its original rising channels to the rear inner edges the corresponding tongues to the backboard are no longer present hence it can now be drawn forward rather than having to be drawn upwards to expose the dial. The trunk door is also fitted with a rare form of 'eagle-head' cast brass key escutcheon mount which is only generally seen on early architectural cases.