Skip to content
The Encyclopedia of Horology

Clock · Longcase clock

Longcase clock by Andrew Scott

Partially verified

This antique longcase clock was crafted by the Edinburgh-based clockmaker Andrew Scott, with an attributed date of circa 1790. The timepiece is housed in a cabinet constructed from flame mahogany. The hood features classical arched molding with decorative wooden and metal elements and fluted columns on the sides. The main trunk is characterized by an elongated door adorned with an oval-shaped inlay featuring a seashell motif. The silvered dial is detailed with Roman numerals for the hours and an Arabic minute track, accompanied by decorative hands, a subsidiary seconds dial, and a calendar aperture. The corners of the dial display engraved foliage and bird patterns. The clock operates on an 8-day duration movement, which strikes the hour on a bell.

Longcase clock by Andrew Scott, Edinburgh, featuring a flame mahogany case and an arched dial.
Longcase clock by Andrew Scott, Edinburgh, featuring a flame mahogany case and an arched dial. — It's About Time (The Clock & Watch Shop). Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
zamanito.com
Category
Clock · Longcase clock
Maker / attribution
Andrew Scott
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1790
Source-reported place
Scotland

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 and Inscriptions

The spandrels and corner regions are ornamented with delicate carvings depicting birds and acanthus-style foliage. The dial layout includes Roman numeral hour indicators and an Arabic minute track, alongside a subsidiary dial for seconds and an aperture for the calendar.

Central to the upper arch is the signature of the maker. The name is engraved within a circular frame as "Andw Scott Edinr" in a flowing script, identifying the object's origin in Edinburgh. The dial composition reflects traditional arrangements for longcase clocks of the late 18th century.

Evidence for this section
  • “نام سازنده به‌صورت «Andw Scott Edinr» به خط خوش در بخش قوسی بالای صفحه (Arch) درون قابی دایره‌ای با تزیینات کنده‌کاری حک شده است.”
  • “صفحه ساعت کاملاً نقره‌اندود (Silvered dial) بوده و دارای اعداد رومی برای ساعت، حلقه دقیقه‌ها با ارقام عربی، عقربه‌های تزیینی، صفحه فرعی نمایش ثانیه و دریچه تقویم (Calendar aperture) است.”

Case Construction

The clock is encased in flame mahogany, a choice of wood often selected for its distinct grain pattern. The cabinet follows traditional proportions, incorporating fluted columns on the sides of the hood. The hood itself is finished with a classical arched top, featuring decorative wooden and metal turnings.

The trunk, or main body, features an elongated door that serves as a canvas for decorative inlay work. This element consists of an oval-shaped motif depicting a seashell, which provides a focal point on the vertical surface of the mahogany case.

Evidence for this section
  • “بدنه ساعت از چوب ماهون موسوم به «شعله‌ای» (Flame Mahogany) با تناسبات سنتی، ستون‌های شیاردار در طرفین بخش بالایی و درب کشیده و بلند در بدنه اصلی (Trunk) ساخته شده است.”
  • “روی درب بدنه یک طرح معرق‌کاری بیضی‌شکل با موتیف صدف دریایی کار شده است.”

Movement and Function

The timepiece is driven by a movement designed for an 8-day duration, described in the source as having a robust and high-quality build. The clock utilizes a bell for its striking mechanism, which sounds at the hourly intervals.

According to the auction description, the movement has undergone a comprehensive overhaul to ensure its current operational status. This maintenance is intended to support the functional longevity of the mechanism.

Evidence for this section
  • “موتور ساعت دارای قابلیت کارکرد ۸ روزه (8-day duration) با ساختاری مستحکم و باکیفیت بوده که زنگ اعلام ساعت آن بر روی یک کاسه زنگ (Bell) نواخته می‌شود.”
  • “ساعت طبق ادعای فروشنده به‌طور کامل سرویس اساسی (Fully overhauled) شده و با گارانتی عرضه می‌شود.”

Open research questions

  • What are the specific archival records or parish registers that corroborate Andrew Scott's active years in Edinburgh?
  • Does the internal movement plate show any additional marks or workshop stamps consistent with 18th-century Scottish horology?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Longcase clock by Andrew Scott
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerAndrew Scott“Andrew Scott, Edinburgh.”
Datecirca 1790“در حدود سال ۱۷۹۰ در اسکاتلند ساخته شده است.”
Case materialFlame mahogany“بدنه ساعت از چوب ماهون موسوم به «شعله‌ای» (Flame Mahogany)”
Duration8-day“موتور ساعت دارای قابلیت کارکرد ۸ روزه (8-day duration)”
Striking mechanismBell strike“زنگ اعلام ساعت آن بر روی یک کاسه زنگ (Bell) نواخته می‌شود.”

Visible details

  • Silvered dial with engraved foliage and bird motifs in the corners
  • Oval seashell inlay on the trunk door
  • Classical swan-neck pediment with decorative turnings
  • Arched dial signed 'Andw Scott Edinr'

Research qualifications

  • The 1790 date is attributed via an accompanying certificate rather than a maker's mark
  • The operational status and overhaul claims are based on seller assertions

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

Consulted source

Andrew Scott, Edinburgh.

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 3464d1f4b8

Terms in this record

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

Other longcase clock records