English Antique Red Chinoiserie Six-Bell Hanging Wall Clock Ca. 1830

A FINE LATE GEORGE III RED LACQUERED CHINOISERIE DECORATED SIX-BELL WALL CLOCK
Stroud, England, circa 1830 | dial engraved “Rich’d Camm / Stroud” | with a chiming six-bell movement
Item # 309SMP24Q
An incredibly striking wall clock with a brilliant red ground throughout, the hood characterized by a broken-arch cove-molded pediment with applied pressed-brass rosettes over a glazed door flanked by Roman tuscan columns opening with a tiny knob to reveal a silvered dial with a Roman numeral chapter ring with solid blued steel hands, engraved floral spandrels and signed along the upper half “Rich’d Camm” and the lower half “STROUD”. The chain-driven movement features six chiming bells.

The body of the case features a single full-length door, which opens to give access to the brass pendulum on its wooden rod and the two weights.

The door is decorated with gilt and polychromed scenes of the Orient: birds, houses, figures and gardens, all depicted in brilliant glowing colors and intricate detail. The sides of the case are stenciled with simple floral patterns.

Richard Camm is documented as living in Stoud from 1816 through his death in 1857, also being listed in Pigot’s Directory of Gloucestershire, 1830 as being a “Watch & Clock Maker” on High Street in Stroud. The clock likely pre-dates the establishment of M & R Camm, a joint venture between Richard Camm and Martin Camm starting in 1839 through 1852.

Measurements: 51 1/2″ H x 8 5/8″ D x 15 1/4″ W
Condition Report:
Dial tarnished with oxidization throughout the faceplate, notable discolorations in the lower left quarter; movement is as-found, being dirty and is unexamined for functionality; it appears to be complete, but will need to be serviced by a clock technician prior to use; seatboard rests on two pine strips that appear to be the same age as the seatboard, these strips raising the movement to the proper height for the clock; the need for strips leaves the possibility open that the movement is not original to the case, though oxidization tones match nicely between the movement and the case; heavily oxidized early surface and darkening of the lacquer throughout; old crack in the broken-arch crest in the center and left; untouched secondary elements and blocking; a few losses to the chinoiserie decoration as well as rubbing/oxidization/color loss/small chips; lock absent from the door; left side of the case with a loss at the extreme tip of the bottom; no winding key.