Designed by James Ferguson, circa 1764, and made by Samuel Northcote, Plymouth

An important third-quarter 18th-century mahogany table clock with moon phases, time of high water, automatic representation of the state of the tide and date. Accompanied by an 18th-century oak case.

Designed by James Ferguson, circa 1764, and made by Samuel Northcote, Plymouth, shortly afterwards.

Portrait of the Northcote family by James Northcote, with the clockmaker, Samuel, on the right @ Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, Devon, England

Samuel Northcote senior (c1709-1791) was the son of a painter; two of Samuel's sons survived childhood: Samuel junior (c.1742-1813), who followed in his father's footsteps, and James (1746-1831), who became a successful painter, although, at his father's insistence, he had completed a full clockmaking apprenticeship in his own workshop. However, FJ Britten records Samuel Northcote as “son of a Plymouth clockmaker and elder brother of James Northcote, the artist, having been sent to London to Mudge to be instructed in clockmaking in 1766”

In his autobiography, James says of his father that he was

"valued by all who knew him for his great integrity, abilities and general knowledge... he was a pious, studious, humble and ingenious man"

The astronomer James Ferguson - 1710-1776 @ Wikimedia Commons

Plymouth was a busy port in the 18th century, and Devon was home to many talented minds. In 1740, Northcote and his good friend Lyne Brett were founding members of the Otter Club - a group of twelve men who took morning baths in the sea and met for dinner every fortnight. Dr John Mudge (1721-1793), brother of the celebrated clockmaker Thomas Mudge (1715-1794), was one of the twelve members. John was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, from which he received the Copley gold medal in 1777. Without doubt, Mudge will very probably have discussed his latest experiments and the news from London with his fellow Otters. It is also important to note that Thomas returned to Plymouth in 1771 to work on the problem of finding longitude at sea.

James Ferguson, ca 1764 @ Bonhams

Ponsford illustrates the present clock by Samuel senior in his book, where he states:

"Another bracket clock has a plate in the dial arch which rises and falls to indicate the state of the tide. Signed 'Samuel Northcote, Plymouth, it was made to a design by the astronomer James Ferguson, who visited Plymouth and stayed for several months as the guest of Northcote's friend, Dr John Mudge. In May 1766, Ferguson sent a detailed description of the clock to the Royal Society, together with a large drawing of the dial and its mechanism."

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The mechanism designed by James Ferguson, ca 1764 @ Bonhams

Ferguson himself described the clock as follows:

"a table clock, showing the hours and minutes, the day of the month, the phases of the moon, its age and time of coming to the meridian, with the time of high water every day and the state of the tide at any hour by day or night, by inspection.”

Literature: Ponsford, Devon Clocks and Clockmakers, 1985, pp 109-111; Plates 36 and 37.

Description of the piece:

The bell-top case with carrying handle and four cone finials above circular glazed side apertures, on a moulded base with later applied feet; the front door with cast brass borders and shell spandrels.

Clock by James Ferguson, ca 1764, and later case @ Bonhams

The rectangular dial, 7.5 inches high, set in the arch with a rotating spherical moon, half silvered/half blue to represent the state of the moon in the night sky, set over a hand-painted panel depicting a couple standing with goats, looking out to sea and towards a castle flying the Union flag on the opposite shore; the scene is centred on a painted sea in which a manned rowing boat can be seen, the sea panel being mounted on a vertical arm connected to the clock movement, which automatically rises and falls to indicate the relative height of the tides each day. The dial ring has silvered Roman and Arabic numerals with an inner concentric date ring set above a pair of subsidiary dials; the left-hand one with a twice I-XII scale around the age of the moon 1-29.5, one hand indicating the age of the moon, the other the time of high water; the right-hand dial is divided into eight sections, in which a single hand moves to show the flow and ebb of the ocean, each three-hour sector being variously engraved for High Water - Half Ebb - Low Water - Half Flood - High Water - Half Ebb - Low Water - Half Flood, framing the engraved signature of Samuel Northcote, Plymouth.

Clock by James Ferguson, ca 1764, and later case @ Bonhams

The movement, with fusee and double gut line (now wire), currently has an anchor escapement and rack striking on a bell. The gearing for the fall and rise of the sea level is set between the front plate and the dial. The backplate repeats the signature Saml Northcote, Plymouth, with interlaced strapwork and foliage. Movement, tidal automaton, spherical moon and subsidiary dials all apparently in working order, together with a pendulum and two case keys.

Later case for the clock made by James Ferguson, ca 1764 @ Bonhams

The clock comes with a contemporary oak travelling case, slightly tapering, with a deep top lid above a pair of front doors which open to reveal a felt-lined interior, with iron handles on the sides. To fit inside this case, the clock's feet must be removed.

The travelling case measures 58 cm x 40 cm x 24 cm. (2)

For more information, visit Bonhams here.