Black is beautiful: That applies certainly to this excellent table clock. The 8-day movement is worth seeing, the back plate well engraved, of 8-day duration, original verge escapement, strikes the hours and plays apart from the quarter hours 2 tunes i.e. “Country Dance” and “Hornpipe” by choice, connected to 8 bells and 8 hammers, the brass dial has a silvered chapter ring and two silvered rings above indicating strike/silent and tune selection. The signature plate reading Benj. Barber London mounted between the two rings in the arch. The centre shows a painted landscape, the remaining places finely painted with coloured natural flowers, the ebonised fruitwood veneered case is decorated with gilded brass mounts, finials and feet, engraved fret work to the front, to the sides and on the top. Height without the top finial 60 cm, date around 1790.

Berj(amin) Barber, London – Workshop a.o. in Deptford and at the Red Lion Street in London between 1785 and 1794 (Baillie).

Literature :
Richard C.R. Barder – The Georgian Bracket Clock – 1714 – 1830
Brian Loomes – Brass Dial Clocks
Cescinsky & Webster – English Domestic Clocks