for
James Bannister
A superb quality mahogany mantel clock made by the well known clockmaking firm of Thwaites and Reed for James Bannister. The eight day, double chain fusee movement has shouldered plates, five turned pillars and anchor escapement. The frontplate is stamped with the mark and serial number of Thwaites & Reed, 'T & R, 10271' with the backplate well engraved in scroll with the name 'James Bannister, 32 Princes Street, Leicester Square, London' being the maker for whom Thwaites & Reed made the clock. The clock strikes the hours on a gong and has a pull repeat cord. The 5½ inch round silvered dial is engraved with black Roman numerals and a repeat of Bannister's signature and address and has a 'strike/silent' lever above XII o'clock, blued steel decorative 'moon' hands and a cast brass bezel. The flame mahogany case is of a wonderful colour and patination and has a chamfer top, glazed side panels through which the movement is visible and stands on flat feet.
Thwaites and Reed are one of the most well known clock maker's of the late Georgian, early Victorian period. They not only made high quality movements and clocks under their own name but supplied many of the leading maker's of the time, their movements signed with the mark 'T & R' on the frontplate along with the serial number. The firm was originally founded in 1740 as Aynsworth Thwaites, then Aynsworth and John Thwaites, John Thwaites and finally Thwaites and Reed when John Thwaites formed a partnership with the famed horolgist Thomas Reed. The majority of their record books still exist and show that they basically supplied movements to other maker's as well as undertaking repair work and clients included a number of famous names such as Earnshaw, Ellicott and Leroux.
James Bannister is recorded as working in London in the early to mid 1800's becoming a Freeman of the Clockmaker's Company before 1818 until 1863, presunably the year of his death. He was apprenticed in 1796 to James Binley of St Matthew, Bethnal Green at a cost of £5-5-0 for a period of seven years. He is presumably related to W. H. Bannister who is also recorded at Princes Street as a clockamker from 1815 until 1824. In 1822 James was known to be in partnership with a Thomas Bannister, a situation which is known to be still running in 1825. In all probability they were a family of maker's who shared premisese and worked together at Princes Street.
According to the Thwaites & Reed records this clock was made in 1839.
Height: 12 inches.
Price: £5,450.00