A Scottish Regency brass inlaid mahogany eight-day longcase clock J. and W. Howden, Edinburgh, circa 1820 The four pillar rack and bell striking movement with thick plates, Harrison's maintaining power and anchor escapement regulated by wood-rod pendulum with large lenticular brass-faced bob, the 13.25 inch circular silvered brass Roman numeral dial with subsidiary seconds over calendar dials and signed J. & W. Howden, Edinburgh to centre, with Arabic five minutes to outer track and blued steel moon hands, the Gothic lancet-top case with ogee cornice over hinged cast brass glazed bezel within line bordered panel infill incorporating stylised lobed motifs, the sides with circular sound frets, the trunk with cavetto throat over flame-figured lancet-shaped door and further brass line decorated upper quadrant panels flanked by brass stop-fluted quarter columns to angles, the plinth base applied with ebonised reeded panel mouldings to front over a canted skirt, 207cm (81.5ins) high. James and William Howden formed a partnership to continue their father's (James senior) business on his death in 1809. James was a London-trained clock and watchmaker and his brother William was a jeweller and silversmith. They initially worked from 3 Hunter Square, Edinburgh but had moved to 9 South Bridge (House 5 Buccleuch Place) by 1815. The partnership continued until William's death in March 1814 when the business became James Howden and Company.