A 17th Century William and Mary eight-day double basket table clock by Asselin

A relatively small and extremely attractive late 17th century English eight-day spring-driven double basket table clock signed on the backplate Asselin London, dating to the period c.1695-1700.

The elegantly proportioned ebony-veneered double basket top case has very rich repousse brass ornaments to the door and matching rectangular gilt cast brass ornaments to the sides with viewing windows, so that the movement is visible. The case rests on four bun feet. The almost extravagant basket has protruding images on all sides, the front a bust of Jesus, the back a bagpipe player (an image of the devil), the sides showing busts of a woman and a soldier. The images may reflect the religious and political problems of the time. There are period finials on the four corners. The double basket is surmounted by a richly shaped carrying handle.

The fine square brass dial with a matted centre and two winding holes has an applied silvered chapter ring, a date aperture above the VI, a false pendulum aperture under the XII and gilt brass winged cherub-head spandrels in the corners. The plaque behind the false pendulum is also signed by the maker Asselin London. The chapter ring is engraved with a narrow outer minute ring within which are Arabic five-minute numerals and lozenge-shaped 7½-minute markers, a central ring of Roman hours I-XII and half-hour markers and an inner ring divided into quarter hours. The time is indicated by a period pair of finely pierced blued steel hands.

The striking eight-day twin fusee brass movement has a verge escapement with a short knife-suspended pendulum, the back cock having a particularly fine apron. The rack striking indicates the hours fully on a bell. The backplate is profusely engraved in period style around a typical signature cartouche with the maker’s name: Asselin London. In addition, the movement has pull-quarter repeat on a nest of six bells differing in pitch.

The maker
Francis and Stephen Asselin were Huguenot refugees and probably brothers, who came to England in the last quarter of the seventeenth century. Francis was an engraver, who became free of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1687. He sometimes signed his clocks Asselinne, which makes it likely that the present clock was made by Stephen. The latter signed the oath of allegiance to the Clockmakers’ Company in 1697. Spring clocks, longcase clocks, lantern clocks by his hand are known. That he was an accomplished maker is proven by this very fine clock.

Literature:
B. Loomes, The Clockmakers of Great Britain 1286-1700, Ashbourne, 2014, pp.20-21.
S. Dzik, Engraving on English Bracket Clocks, Oxford 2009, p.265
S. Dzik, Beneath the Dial, Oxford, 2023, pp.357-59
£26900