Clocktime Samuel Knibb Cupola Clock c1675, 05 Reverse Side

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 reverse side of the Samuel Knibb Cupola Clock.

The clock was obviously made to be admired from all the way around when the proud owner brought in friends to see his possession. So, that it's got big glass sides and both the doors open fully, and the front door and the back door both have a little catch, which is hidden up on the top of the roof here, which releases the door so that you can see the wonderful backplate, the engraving here, 'Samuel Knibb Londini Fecit'. Beautiful curved engraving, the very high countwheel up at the top of the movement. And you can see it's doubly inscribed, so it will do first of all, the low bell for the hour, and then it repeats it on a by moving a pump piece across, so when it strikes on the half hour, it repeats the previous hour. It has the standard verge escapement ticking away beautifully, making the same sound as the people would have heard it in 1665.