An extremely fine and rare third quarter of the 18th century mahogany longcase clock with perpetual calendar
Edmund Prideaux, London
The arched hood surmounted by a concave moulded caddy running from front to back, the sides of the hood set with a silk-back sound fret over a glazed panel on each side, the long break arch trunk door with flame figuring framed by a well moulded edge, the base with applied shaped panel on a double stepped apron.
The 12 inch arched brass dial set to the arch with a calendar arc engraved with four scales for each month (the first 'February' scale is marked to 29, the other three marked to 28) over a circular subsidiary marked 'Leap Year; First after Leap Year; Second after Leap Year'; and 'Third after Leap Year' with single blued steel tapering hand. The silvered circular clock dial with Roman and Arabic numerals framing the large subsidiary seconds dial and rare shaped moonphase aperture at VI with painted moon on a starry ground, with blued steel hands.
The weight driven movement with specially cast bottle shaped shouldered plates united by six knopped pillars.
The going train with Harrisons maintaining power to a deadbeat escapement, all wheels of six crossings and set in endstops screwed to the backplate, the wooden rod pendulum with twin suspension spring block and terminating in a heavy brass-clad lenticular bob with engraved rating nut, with rack striking on a bell.

2.4m (7ft. 10ins) high.
Footnotes:
Edmund Prideaux started working in London around 1743. He was originally from Camelford in Cornwall, where his grandfather had been the Mayor between 1689-1695. His family had been living in the county since at least the 1500's.
In 1745, he married Elizabeth Dinham and they had two children; a son Edmund, who married and returned to Cornwall and a daughter, Elizabeth, who sadly died in 1753. He died on 1st October 1796 and his will describes him as watch maker working from premises at 31 Hatton Garden, where he had been since 1780, and living at that time in St. Andrew, Holborn. One of his executors is listed simply as 'Elliot', there were several clock and watchmakers of this name in London around this time, and it is quite possible that one of his executors was a fellow horologist.
In the will he instructed his executor to sell off the Hatton Garden premises in order to pay for his bequests and any outstanding debts. His bequests included funds for his wife to be kept for the rest of her life; £20 to his nephew John and John's two daughters, as well as bequeathing John his full wardrobe; £20 to his servant, Anne, and £20 to his executor. Beyond these bequests, he wanted the remaining funds to be divided equally between his grandchildren when each reached 21 years of age; and his son Edmund's wife, should she be a widow at that time
The current clock is very similar to another Perpetual calendar longcase by Prideaux, illustrated on pg. 416, Figure 11/55, in The Longcase Clock by Tom Robinson. It has been suggested that, because the calendar mechanism is so complicated, yet practically identical to that of an Eardley Norton perpetual calendar longcase, both makers were using the same supplier.
Lake, W. (1870) A Complete Parochial History of the County of Cornwall, Compiled From the Best Authorities & Corrected and Improved from Actual Survey. Truro: William Lake. Vol. III.; Maclean, J. (1876) The Parochial and Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor in the County of Cornwall. London: Nichols & Sons. Vol. II.
Will of Edmund Prideaux of Saint Andrew Holborn, Middlesex (1789). The National Archives: Public Record Office. Catalogue reference: PROB 11/1283/141.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * TP
* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.
TP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.