A fine George III brass mounted figured mahogany

A fine George III brass mounted figured mahogany quarter chiming table clock with fired enamel dial John Scott, London, circa 1790 The substantial six pillar triple chain fusee movement chiming the quarters on a graduated nest of eight-bells and striking the hour on a further large bell, with original half-deadbeat escapement regulated by floral engraved lenticular bob pendulum with holdfast to the fine Classical urn-centred symmetrical rococo scroll engraved backplate, the 8 inch circular white enamel Roman numeral dial signed JOHN SCOTT, GLOUCESTER STREET, LONDON to centre, with Arabic five minutes to outer track and pierced blued steel hands, the shallow break-arch case with generous hinged brass carrying handle and single brass-fillet moulded rectangular pad to top over fine foliate pierced and engraved brass crescent-shaped sound fret to the arch of the full-height front door incorporating cast brass bezel to the convex glazed circular dial aperture and with conforming brass fillet-bordered lower quadrant frets flanked by chevron-strung angles, the sides with arched brass frets and the rear with glazed arched door set within the frame of the case, on generous cavetto moulded skirt base with cast brass ogee bracket feet, 43cm (17ins) high excluding handle. John Scott is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as working from Gloucester Street, London from before 1784. He is further noted in Britten, F.J. Old Clocks and Watches and Their Makers as being in business at 40 Gloucester Street, Red Lion Square. Scott became an honorary Freeman of the Clockmaker s Company in 1781 but is believed to have worked 1770-1794; a bracket clock of his dating to around 1775 was formerly in the Wetherfield Collection.