Thomas Best London, Ebony Pad-Top Bracket Clock – Circa 1780
£8,850.00
Thomas Best of London. This ebony pad-top bracket clock by Thomas Best sits squarely within the late-17th to early-18th-century London tradition, a period when the bracket clock had become the preferred domestic timekeeper for affluent households. London makers of this era were responding to demand for portable yet accurate clocks that could be displayed prominently on brackets or tables, combining refined casework with increasingly sophisticated movements. The restrained pad-top form in ebony reflects contemporary taste for architectural simplicity, allowing the quality of the dial and movement to speak without excessive ornament.
The movement is of classic English verge construction, and strikes the hours on a single bell. The engraved back plate, a hallmark of quality London work, not only serves a decorative purpose but also signals the maker’s pride and the clock’s intended visibility when serviced or displayed. The inclusion of a well made pendulum travel lock is a nice detail, indicating the expectation that it might be transported, whether between residences or for maintenance—an important practical consideration in an age before easy transport.
The dial layout is equally characteristic of the period. An enamel chapter ring, offering clarity and durability, is paired with a finely matted brass centre, creating a subtle contrast that balances legibility with elegance. The date aperture provides added everyday utility to the clock without disrupting its symmetry. Contained in its Ebony case with brass binding and raised on Brass bracket feet it is a handsome piece.
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