Clock
Mudge and Dutton
Category
Horology
Date
1785
Materials
Metal and mahogany clock.
Measurements
645 x 375 x 245 mm
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire
NT 514772
Summary
Mahogany musical bracket clock, enriched with metal-gilt cast and chased as caryatids, floral pendants and neo-classical motifs, similar pierced grills to the sides, dial with painted automata movements depicting an orchestra, and Harlequin and Columbine, strike and silent movements, date aperture. George III. 8-day English automata, musical striking spring clock in mahogany case signed Mudge and Dutton, London, c.1785. 3 train, 5 pillar fusee movement with anchor escapement, engraved on backplate and with rack striking on bell. 8 bell musical work playing 4 tunes, operated at will on a pull cord. Rectangular brass dial with ogee shaping to top, having symmetrical scrolling spandrels. Painted aperture above with 2 automata dancers. Silvered chapter ring with Roman numerals and Arabic figures, signed 'Mudge and Dutton, London'. Painted scene in dial centre, with 3 automata musicians playing. Square calendar aperture. One brass and one steel hand. Two subsidiary dials above the chapter ring are for Strike/Silent and tune change 'Song/Hornpipe/Minuet/March. Mahogany bell top case with gold lacquered brass mounts, 5 urn finials and red silk lined frets. Caryatid mounts to canted front and back edges and scrolling brass feet. The hands are later replacements. Although signed by Mudge and Dutton, neither the clock nor the signature is typical of their work.
Provenance
Bequeathed to the National Trust by Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966) with the house and the rest of the contents.
Makers and roles
Mudge and Dutton