Property of a Private Clock Collector (Lots 88-94)
A Charles II table clock, John Hilderson, London, circa 1663, the ebony case rebuilt
Auction Closed
May 22, 05:01 PM GMT
Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
7½-inch matted dial with plain border, the centre engraved with a flower head, the fusee movement with pinned barrel caps, seven finely turned baluster pillars pinned to the backplate, re-converted verge escapement, bell striking with the numbered and flower-engraved count wheel mounted high on the backplate, the hammer mounted on the front plate, the plain backplate boldly signed John Hilderson Londini Fecit, the rebuilt architectural case with a frieze key drawer and of the correct period style for the movement and dial,
49cm. 19¼in. high
R. I. R. Dean, Esq. sold Sotheby's, London, 7th June 1984, Lot 266, (in a japanned case, the dial with later chapter ring, hour hand and spandrels)
Bonhams, London, 14th December 2010, Lot 120, (the case as above but with replaced narrow chapter ring and replaced hour hand)
Illustrated and discussed extensively in Antiquarian Horology, Vol.25 No. 4, June 2000, p. 414-416
Little is known of the life of John Hilderson. He was not apprenticed in the Clockmakers' Company but was known to them as he took Samuel Hayle as an apprentice in 1657 and Thomas Watson in 1662. Neither Hayle or Watson were Freed. Hilderson's work is very rare with the majority of his clocks conforming to the East School. He is not heard of after 1665 and it has been suggested that he may have died in the plague along with his apprentices.
One of very few recorded clocks by Hilderson, this example is well documented and, when previously sold at auction, was contained in an ebonised case decorated with chinoiseries. However, it was thought that the chinoiserie decoration, and domed top had been applied to the original case in order to update its appearance at the end of the 17th century. It is also thought that the chapter ring was changed at the same time. It would appear that the case and dial have since been returned to their original form.
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