A GEORGE III MAHOGANY LONGCASE CLOCK WITH MOONPHASE, CONCENTRIC CALENDAR AND CENTRE SECONDS John Wyke, Liverpool, circa 1770 The four pillar rack and bell striking movement with centre-planted Graham-type deadbeat escapement regulated by seconds pendulum, the 13.25 inch brass break-arch dial incorporating additional brass sweep centre seconds and pierced concentric calendar hands to the foliate scroll engraved matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring engraved with days-of-the-month to inner track and with Arabic five minutes to outer, with scroll-pierced steel hour and minute hands and female mask and scroll cast spandrels to angles, beneath arch with rolling moonphase calibrated with age of the moon to the circumference and with silvered star overlays to the delineated sphere engraved lunettes beneath arched silvered nameplate engraved JOHN WYKE LIVERPOOL to upper margin, the case in the manner of Gillows with cavetto moulded swan neck pediment, gilt scroll decorated blue glass panel inserts and break-arch frieze over the hinged glazed dial aperture flanked by square-section reeded Corinthian columns, the sides with conforming pilasters planted towards the rear, the trunk with dentil-edged concave throat and blind fretwork frieze over shaped-top caddy-moulded door flanked by fluted quarter-columns, the plinth base with stepped ogee top mouldings over shaped panel to front flanked by canted angles decorated with simulated quoins, on ogee bracket feet. 246cm (97ins) high, 61cm (24ins) wide, 30.5cm (12ins) deep. Provenance: The Selwyn Demmy Collection. John Wyke of Prescott and Liverpool is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as born in Prescott in 1720 and working up until 1787. His life and work is much more comprehensively described by Alan Smith in the preface of Wyke, John A CATALOGUE OF TOOLS FOR WATCH AND CLOCK MAKERS facsimile reprint of the late 18th century catalogue published for The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum by the University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville in 1978. Smith notes that Wyke was established in Prescott by 1753 and by 1759 was preparing to move to Liverpool where he was sworn in as a burgess in 1761. Shortly after moving to Liverpool Wyke became associated with other enlightened individuals such as fellow clockmaker and polymath Joseph Finney and the Liverpool merchant, Thomas Bentley of 'Wedgwood and Bentley' fame. Bentley in-turn introduced Wyke to Josiah Wedgewood who was looking for a suitably skilled toolmaker to supply punches and other tools for the potting trade. During this period Wyke's workshop established itself as a leading supplier of tools to the horological and other trades, indeed Smith notes that he supplied tools to the eminent engineer James Watt in 1767. In around 1770 John Wyke took in fellow clock and watchmaker Thomas Green into partnership; Green had been working for Wyke as foreman up to this point hence was seen as a natural successor. Wyke's health went into decline from around 1783 and he died at home in Liverpool in 1787 leaving Thomas Green to continue the business which he did until after 1800. The current lot is very much a typical example of Wyke's work (albeit with additional refinements of centre seconds and concentric calendar) and can be compared to two examples illustrated by Smith in the aforementioned publication on pages 8 and 9 (Figures 8-11). Condition Report: The movement is in relatively clean working condition with no evidence of alteration or significant replacements. The dial is in good clean condition with only very slight tarnishing/discolouration to the silvered finishes in places; the lunar disc retains original painted finish with slight wear/rubbing only. The movement and dial sit on what appears to be the original seatboard onto uprights (cheeks) within the case which are free from visible alteration/adjustment hence in our opinion the movement and dial are most likely original to the case. The case is generally in good original condition. The superstructure of the hood appears to survive in its original form (there is no evidence of a box or any other type of structure being previously fitted) and looks undisturbed. The infill to the front of the pediment is blue glass painted with gilt scrollwork - this is most likely a replacement as the original was most likely verre-eglomise. The inside of the hood has had some strengthening/re-gluing around the dial mask - this is most likely die to the mask becoming a little loose hence not indicative that the movement and dial have been married to the case. The trunk and base are in good original condition, the trunk door lock and hinges have been replaced otherwise faults are very muck limited to minor bumps, scuffs, shrinkage (most noticeably within the figuring of the trunk door veneers) and other slight age related blemishes commensurate with age and use. Clock has pendulum, two weights, pendulum, case key and winder. Condition Report Disclaimer