A WILLIAM III WALNUT AND FLORAL MARQUETRY EIGHT-DAY LONGCASE CLOCKJOHN EBSWORTH, LONDON, CIRCA 1695The five finned and pillar movement with tall plates measuring approximately 7.5 by 5 inches and anchor escapement regulated by seconds pendulum, the strike train with external countwheel striking on a domed bell mounted above the plates, 11 inch square brass dial with ringed, winding holes, foliate scroll border engraved calendar aperture and subsidiary seconds dial to matted centre within applied silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with stylised sword hilt half hour markers and Arabic five minutes beyond the narrow minute track, with pierced steel hands, winged cherub mask and scroll cast spandrels to angles and signed John Ebsworth Londini fecit to lower margin, in a case with moulded cornice and frieze inlaid with floral trails into an ebonised ground to lintel over conforming marquetry decorated hinged glazed dial surround and rectangular windows to the sides of the hood, the trunk with convex walnut veneered throat moulding over 40.5 inch rectangular door centred with an oval lenticle and with three shaped marquetry panels decorated with bird inhabited floral sprays and scrolling foliage into an ebonised ground within a oyster veneered walnut field, with ebonised half-round edge mouldings, the sides veneered with twin panels within crossbanded borders, the base with stepped ogee top moulding and conforming rectangular marquetry panel over bun feet, (hood with alterations).199cm (78.25ins) high, 45cm (17.75ins) wide, 24cm (9.5ins) deep.John Ebsworth is recorded in Loomes, Brian, LANTERN CLOCKS & Their Makers as apprenticed in 1657 to Richard Ames and gaining his freedom of the Clockmakers'pany in 1665. He is believed to have succeeded Thomas Knifton at the Cross Keys in Lothbury but later worked at 'New Cheap Side'. He served as Assistant to the court of the Clockmakers'pany in 1682, Warden in 1694 and was appointed Master in 1697. Ebsworth died in 1699 appointing Edward Stanton to oversee his Will.