Jno. Elliott Plymouth. c.1750 Stock No.3229

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Jno. Elliott Plymouth.  c.1750 

A shield dial tavern clock, the black dial signed across the base 'Jno. Elliott, Plymouth', and with gilt roman and arabic numerals within a heavily moulded arched surround. The trunk is lacquered with a typical oriental scene, and has a cushion base with an unusual gilt pendentive to match the two finials on the top of the dial.  Most unusually, the hands are driven by a fusee movement with verge escapement, of a very early design.

Stock No.3229

 It is particularly rare, although not unknown,  to find a fusee movement in a tavern clock. The clock has been authenticated by the country's leading expert on tavern clocks, and his letter of authentication is included with the clock.

The fusee movement is most interesting in its own right, displaying features that are found in very early movements - particularly the tall thin shape of the plate, the external fusee winding ratchet and the spring retaining the click to the setting up ratchet. The original seat board screws are particularly fine. Taking the evidence of the case, the movement and the maker, this seems likely to be an early example of a tavern clock, with a date no later than 1750.

A number of clocks are known by John Elliott of Plymouth, but little about  him. Neither his birth nor death is recorded, but it is known that he married in Nov 1732. If as was often the case, he married after completing his apprenticeship, it can be inferred that he would have been born in c.1710.