M C Taylor Clocks

Description

A fine and original example of a very beautiful early English Dial clock with a Sheraton style bezel.

The 8 day duration, gut fusee movement with Anchor Recoil escapement and tapered plates also, the usual stopwork to the fusee winding.

Fixed to an unusually separate, convex wooden dial by a false plate. The dial having its crazed, original cream coloured background with an outer, divided minute track encircling Roman hour numerals. The upper dial centre bears the maker's name of "WOOD. Golden Squ(a)r(e)" and below centre: "LONDON". The blackened and matching 'spade' style steel hands have a counterpoise extension to the minute which is a lovely and unusual but highly practical feature.

Behind a hinged and locking, cast brass, 'Sheraton' style bezel with a high domed convex glass.

Contained in a fine, Cuban mahogany case. The narrow, one-piece dial surround has a well moulded edge and is pegged onto the back box which has a hinged and toggled side access door and a curved, hinged and toggled, cockbeaded pendulum regulation door that is set within the curved bottom.

A dial clock signed Wood, Golden Square LONDON likely refers to the workshop of Robert Wood, who was active in London during the late 18th and early 19th centuries (1785 to 1835). While his primary registered workshops were in Moorfields and Southwark, he is known to have operated in or supplied retailers in the Golden Square area of Soho - a hub for luxury goods and high-end horology.
He was a highly respected craftsman who produced a wide variety of timepieces, including: Silvered dial wall clocks often found in mahogany cases, typically measuring 12 inches across.

Significance of Golden Square it was a luxury retail hub in the 1800s, Golden Square and its surrounding streets (such as Great Pulteney Street and Brewer Street) housed numerous specialist artisans, including case-makers, engravers, and clockworkers. It was common for a master maker like Wood to have his name and the square's address engraved on the dial to signify the quality and West End origin of the piece, even if his larger manufacturing workshop was located elsewhere in London.

This is a truly beautiful example of an iconic clock and is over 200 years old. This first thing that strikes you upon approaching it is the wonderful, positive and resonating tick. It is reminiscent of the dial clocks on the wall in British Rail waiting rooms of decades ago and if you would like to recapture that sound, this is the clock for you.