Clocktime: Samuel Knibb Cupola Clock c1675, 02 Case

Samuel Knibb – Ebony gilt-brass and silver Dutch striking table clock with cupola, case design attributed to John Webb.

Join Dr John C Taylor OBE from the Clocktime digital museum as he discusses the case of the Samuel Knibb Cupola Clock.


This beautiful Samuel Knibb Cupola clock was made in about 1665 and this is towards the end of the architectural period of clock cases. And it's the pinnacle of design with all the architectural features correct from the cupola down to the tympanum, the frieze, the cornice, the wonderful capitals, the pillars with emphasis in them. It's a beautiful miniature building in its own right and I say it's probably designed by John Webb, the architect. There are only five clocks known surviving by Samuel Knibb and they're all of the most wonderful quality. The quality of these castings and the finishing of them just speaks volumes as to the care that was taken in its production. Right from these lovely flaming finials with quite delicate flames coming out of the top. And the detail, which is within the casting, the wonderful casting of the cupola, it's all designed and manufactured in a most beautiful, careful way and finished. The Corinthian capitals here are in a single piece. And if you think of the undercuts around the acanthus leaves here, how all that was made as a wax master, then cast into the investment material, which allowed the brass to then be made, breaking out all the work that had been done. So it's not a part that can be reproduced time and time again. Each one had to be made as a single piece of wax, which was then heated until it melted away inside the refractory and the brass was then poured in. You can see the hinge portion here for the front door goes straight into the top of the capital here. And it's also got a secondary plate, which has been braised into place to strengthen up the front door itself with this extension coming out here. So, that it's as beautiful now as the day it was made, 1665.