Longcase clock

In the absence of any light worth mentioning today, here is the dial of the clock whose movement I blipped last Friday.  It's signed "Clark Preston, London".  Little is known about Clark Preston, except that he made fine clocks.  This one is in a lovely tall, slim, walnut case.

The 4 spandrels in the corners of the dial are interesting.  They show two angels holding up a Protestant crown.  The design was introduced in about 1690 to celebrate the Glorious Revolution when the Catholic King James II was deposed and the Protestant King and Queen William and Mary were put on the throne.  Clock designs changed slowly so these spandrels can be found on clocks made over a couple of decades.

The dial has three winding holes.  The left hand hole is for the quarter hour striking chain, the 7 small tinkly bells nested under the big bell.  The central hole is to wind up the clock's going movement which lasts for 8 days.  And the right hand hole is for the hour striking bell, the big one with the deep pitch.  I wish I could post a recording so that you could hear them.