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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Clock · Longcase clock

David Collier late 18th-century inlaid mahogany longcase clock

Partially verified

This late 18th-century longcase clock is attributed to maker David Collier of Eccles, measuring 228 cm high in an inlaid mahogany case. The hood displays a swan-neck pediment with inlaid flowerhead disc terminals, a line-inlaid frieze, and knopped turned columns framing a 14-inch square painted dial. The dial features Roman hours, Arabic minutes, an axe-head rolling moon decorated with a tall-masted ship and gate-house in a landscape, painted rams, a terrestrial calendar crescent, and Collier's signature. Bonhams reports that the eight-day movement features an anchor escapement, rack-striking on a bell, and a false-plate cast 'WILSON'. The trunk is fitted with an ogee-arched door beneath a frieze of three bat's wing paterae.

Full front view of the David Collier inlaid mahogany longcase clock
Full front view of the David Collier inlaid mahogany longcase clock — Bonhams. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
www.bonhams.com
Category
Clock · Longcase clock
Maker / attribution
David Collier
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
601
Source-reported date
late 18th Century
Country
United Kingdom

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Dial Composition and Inscriptions

The clock is fitted with a 14-inch square painted dial showing Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic markers for the minutes. In the upper portion, an axe-head aperture exposes a painted rolling moon phase decorated with a tall-masted ship and a gate-house within a landscape.

Below the rolling moon, the painted surface incorporates painted rams, a terrestrial calendar crescent aperture, and the inscribed maker's name "D. Collier Eccles". The auction title parenthetically associates David Collier of Eccles with the date "(d.1792)".

Evidence for this section
  • “Having a 14-inch square dial with Roman hours and Arabic minutes framing an axe-head 'rolling moon' decorated with a tall-masted ship and a gate-house in a landscape, over painted rams, terrestrial calendar crescent, and inscribed maker's name "D. Collier Eccles"”
  • “David Collier, Eccles, (d.1792)”

Case Architecture and Inlay

The mahogany case measures 228 cm in height and features a swan-neck pediment with inlaid flowerhead disc terminals set over a line-inlaid frieze and knopped turned columns framing the hood. Visual observation records an empty central plinth positioned between the rosettes of the pediment.

The trunk is fitted with an ogee-arched long door placed beneath an inlaid frieze of three bat's wing paterae. The lower case terminates in a canted base supported on ogee bracket feet, with flame mahogany figuring visible on the trunk door and base panel.

Evidence for this section
  • “the case having a swan-neck pediment with inlaid flowerhead disc terminals over line-inlaid frieze and knopped turned columns, the ogee-arched long trunk door beneath a frieze of three bat's wing paterae, the canted base on ogee bracket feet, 228cm high”
  • “Swan-neck pediment with circular inlaid rosettes and an empty central plinth.”
  • “Flame mahogany veneer featured prominently on the ogee-topped trunk door and base panel.”

Reported Movement and Accessories

The cataloguing reports an eight-day movement with an anchor escapement, rack-striking on a bell, and a false-plate cast "WILSON". These interior mechanical parts are not visible in the exterior photograph.

The auction entry records that the lot was sold complete with two weights, a pendulum, a key, and a winder.

Evidence for this section
  • “the movement, having a false-plate cast "WILSON", with anchor escapement, rack-striking on a bell”
  • “8-day painted dial longcase clock”
  • “sold with two weights, pendulum, key and winder”

Open research questions

  • Does the 'WILSON' cast false-plate correspond to Birmingham dialmaker James Wilson, and does its pattern date the movement before or after David Collier's recorded death year of 1792?
  • Does the central plinth between the swan-neck scrolls retain an original mounting hole for a missing brass or wood finial?
  • Are there alterations or extra cut-outs in the seatboard indicating whether the movement and case originated together?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for David Collier late 18th-century inlaid mahogany longcase clock
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Maker InscriptionD. Collier Eccles“inscribed maker's name "D. Collier Eccles"”
Movement Duration8-day“8-day painted dial longcase clock”
Dial Size14-inch square“Having a 14-inch square dial”
EscapementAnchor escapement“with anchor escapement”
Striking MechanismRack-striking on a bell“rack-striking on a bell”
False-plate CastingWILSON“having a false-plate cast "WILSON"”
Overall Height228cm high“228cm high”
Accompanying ItemsTwo weights, pendulum, key, and winder“sold with two weights, pendulum, key and winder”
Case Base ConstructionCanted base on ogee bracket feet“the canted base on ogee bracket feet”
Pediment Terminal OrnamentationInlaid flowerhead disc terminals“swan-neck pediment with inlaid flowerhead disc terminals”

Visible details

  • Full front view of an inlaid mahogany longcase clock standing on ogee bracket feet.
  • Swan-neck pediment with circular inlaid rosettes and an empty central plinth.
  • Square glazed hood door showing a painted dial with an axe-head aperture displaying a sailing ship, figurative corner spandrels, and calendar crescent.
  • Flame mahogany veneer featured prominently on the ogee-topped trunk door and base panel.

Research qualifications

  • Internal mechanical components including the bell, anchor escapement, and 'WILSON' false-plate are not visible in the photograph.
  • The maker's attribution relies on dial inscription and auction cataloguing rather than independent verification.

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Bonhams : A late 18th Century inlaid mahogany-cased 8-day painted dial longcase clock with moon phase David Collier, Eccles, (d.1792) sold with two weights, pendulum, key and winder

Reviewed 2026-10-21 · Record 887cf9ddd8

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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