A George III Period Mahogany Longcase Clock By Henry Hindley of York

Object Description

A George III Period Mahogany Longcase Clock
In the Chinese Chippendale Style

By Henry Hindley of York

A fine eighteenth century timepiece, the mahogany case designed in the very fashionable Chinese Chippendale style and inspired directly by Chippendale’s published drawings, the clock is defined by the characteristic pagoda-style hood typical of the chinoiserie influence with carved and pierced fretwork, the 12-inch silvered dial behind a glass door, designating the hours in Roman numerals and the minutes in Arabic numerals, the pendulum and weights housed in the elegantly tapered trunk set with a full-lnegth door and supported on a stepped and moulded plinth base of slight breakfront proportions. The dial signed “Henry Hindley York.”
English, circa 1760

The case design closely mirrors plate CXXXVI from Thomas Chippendale’s influential “Director,” showcasing the height of 18th-century English furniture design. Made while these new designs were still gaining traction in the country, this clock would have stood at the forefront of contemporary design and fashionable taste.

Object Literature

Henry Hindley of York

Henry Hindley (1701-1771) was an 18th-century clockmaker, watchmaker, and maker of scientific instruments. He is best known for his highly individual work, often casting and finishing components himself rather than using bought-in movement parts. Hindley’s clocks featured deadbeat escapements, six-spoke wheels, high-count trains, and repeating, enclosed movements. His developmental work on the dividing engine was highly regarded, and he was described as “one of the greatest mechanical geniuses and most accurate artists of the age.” His legacy endures through the precision instruments he created. Brian Loomes’ dictionary documents Hindley as a “very famous and innovative maker.”

Object Condition

Excellent, in working condition

Object Details