These photographs show a replica of a renowned Joseph Knibb Longcase Clock in Walnut (Circa 1685) which one of our staff has recently built in his own time as a present for a member of his family.

This end result has turned out so beautifully that we have costed it to make and offer as a range item or "special commission" piece using a Medite or Softwood carcass and using a faithful contemporary replica movement.

Joseph Knibb was a prominent member of the famous Knibb clock-making family of the late seventeenth century who contributed greatly to the establishment of the English pendulum clock.Knibb's early business was founded in Oxford but later moved to London.

Clocks produced by Joseph Knibb are considered to be amongst the finest examples ever produced during what could be termed as the "Golden Age" of English clock making to the extent that the period original from which this replica has been precisely copied could easily be expected to fetch in excess of £80,000 in today's market.

REFERENCE Ronald A. Lee - "THE KNIBB FAMILY, CLOCK-MAKERS"

Quotes etc: "The following more detailed comment applies to all Knibb cases which are, in most instances, the perfect lesson in proportion of design, restrained decoration and quality of execution"

CONSTRUCTION

The case is intended to be made using a medite or softwood carcass in order to minimise any chance of flexing or veneer eruption in properties which could be centrally heated and / or air conditioned - and therefore to try and ensure the least chance of any "on-site" problems.

Veneering will be carried out using only the finest and most interesting European Walnut veneers. For the far greater part case construction and veneering will be carried out as done in the 17th century with the veneer and herringbone being allied traditionally using a veneer hammer but with our likely using synthetic glues rather than animal glues, which would again be purely in the interests of "reliability" etc.

The Walnut cross-grained mouldings will be profiled by hand using round and hollow wooden planes, and the walnut barley twist hood columns will be turned on a lathe and then hand carved to create the twist. The fretted windows will similarly be hand cut and will be backed using Silk.

A "Rising Hood" is fitted for access to the winding and to conform exactly to the format of the original Clock. The hood will stay in its "Up Position" by dint of a spring catch attached to the backboard and is locked in its "Down Position" via a spoon catch.

CONCLUSION

The net result provides for an exceptional piece of rare elegance and beauty through its near perfect proportions and of its restrained but highly detailed decorations which are far finer and outwardly far more sophisticated and well thought out than a lot of other 17th century Longcase Clocks which can often look clompy and ill-conceived in size and detailing when compared to this particularly refined and elegant piece.

PRICING

By its nature this will be a bespoke "one off" type of special commission piece rather than a standard range item but its price when costed and when considering the detail accuracy, quality of finished product and the huge disparity in price to the period original results in a piece which is very special, works well - and which is cost effective.