Treasures of Westbury House: Like Clockwork

There are two types of clocks in Westbury House: tall case clocks and mantel clocks. The three tall case clocks are on the first floor in the more public spaces—the Front Hall, White Drawing Room, and Dining Room. The first tall case clocks were produced in the late 1600s in England. Many of us refer to these types of clocks as grandfather clocks but tall case clocks can be grandfather clocks, grandmother clocks, or granddaughter clocks based on height.

The tall case clock in the Front Hall is the oldest clock and is from the William and Mary period, roughly 1700-1725. Composed of walnut, it is decorated with intricate seaweed marquetry. Typically, tall case clocks had a separate wood cabinet maker and clock face/clock works maker. Thomas Trigg of London is identified as the maker of the clock works.

Although clocks served a useful time-telling purpose, many of the clocks are placed for aesthetic reasons. This is best exemplified by observing that there are two clocks each in the White Drawing Room and Dining Room: a tall case clock and a mantel clock. Of the obsession with clocks, 18th-century French playwright Louis-Sébastien Mercier wrote: “Every chimney-piece has its clock; a pity, I think; a dismal fashion. Nothing is more dreary to contemplate than a clock; you watch your life ebbing, the pendulum ticks off each second that is yours only as it passes, and then is yours no more. Clocks are everywhere, in every room you see them, and apparently nobody finds them disturbing, though they mark most mercilessly the flight of the hours…”

Mantel clocks became fashionable in wealthy European households in the mid to late 1700s. Mantelpieces were often the focal point of a room featuring a mantel clock. Most of the mantel clocks in the Westbury House collection are 18th-century French pieces, like the ormolu Louis XVI mantel clock in the White Drawing Room. It is composed of marble and gilt bronze with the figures of Venus and Cupid at the top. The marble base bears ormolu scrolling leaves, olive branches and grape clusters symbolizing abundance and fertility. The clockworks were made by Joseph Gay who was the clockmaker to the King of Turin/Sardinia in the late 1700s.

On a fun note, notice that all of the clocks in Westbury House with Roman numerals use “IIII” to indicate the number 4, rather than “IV.” Check out other clocks with Roman numerals. Most follow the same tradition. There are many competing theories as to why but unfortunately no true answer. Some historians believe it has to do with the ease of reading IIII rather than having to subtract 1 from 5. Others point to the symmetry that IIII forms with VIII in the lower left-hand corner of the clock face. Which do you think it is?

~Laura Cinturati, Curator of Westbury House