John Barwise, London, Circa 1830

The rosewood veneered and brass-bound case, with gadrooned top surmounted by a brass vase finial, the step with dot and line brass inlay with stylised brass inlaid flower to the centre. The cornice with decorative moulding above narrow brass binding, abutting front door with brass inlaid canted corners and contra-flower inlay, the arched dial aperture with inner chamfered silvered-brass bezel. The arch-glazed sides apertures with brass chamfered bezels, and a glazed back door. The moulded base with conforming brass inlay and standing on brass compressed-bun feet screwed to triangular brass plates. Now with a matching brass inlaid rosewood bracket.

The 3½ inch circular white vitreous enamel dial with Roman hours and outer minute divisions, signed BARWISE, LONDON, indicated by pierced blued-steel moon hands, and set within a profusely engraved and chased gilt-brass mask.

The rectangular chamfer-top plates held by five turned pillars, with twin chain-driven barrels and fusees; the going train with anchor escapement and heavy lenticular screw-adjusted pendulum bob; the strike train, governed by a rack and snail, sounding and trip-repeating the hours on the vertically mounted bell to the rear. The backplate signed Barwise, LONDON, below the pendulum hold fast.

8-day

Private collection UK.

John Barwise was the son of a clockmaker from Cockermouth, he is recorded as working in London from c.1790 and he became one of the finest makers of the early 19th Century.

In 1805 he was one of fifteen watchmakers selected by the Board of Longitude to adjudicate in the renowned dispute between Thomas Earnshaw and John Arnold. Taking his two sons into the business, the Barwise firm was soon styling itself as Chronometer, Watch & Clock Makers to their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of York, Kent, Cumberland & Gloucester.

John Barwise died in 1842, and a fine longcase by him can be found in the Royal Collection (RCIN 3143), and a table regulator in the Lord Harris Collection at Belmont House, Kent.