Joseph Windmills, London Tallcase Clock, Rare Transitional Dial, 1710 1710
Joseph Windmills, London, tallcase clock circa 1710, burr walnut veneered case with brass capitals, blown glass lenticle in door, ornately carved frieze, rare shallow arched dial (a Windmills design), transitional between earlier square dial and broken arch dial, early latched six pillar movement, eight day time and strike, with calendar, ornately engraved dial, signed I. Windmills (The letter "I" was normal usage representing a "J" in early 18th century London, The latched six pillar movement was used by Tompion, Knibb and Windmills. Joseph Windmills was a highly desirable London clockmaker, and as famous as his contemporaries Tompion and Knibb. This clock is 87 1/2" in height, mechanics all original including movement, dial, pendulum, and weights. The case is definitely London, circa 1710 with a dial mask that holds this rare transitional dial perfectly. I say this to confirm case and movement original due to rareness of dial type. A similar Windmills transitional dial can be found in Robinson's "The Longcase Clock" page 210. The clock is in perfect working order. The seatboard and blocks supporting it have been restored. This is normal as early seatboards bow and crack and screw holes tend to eat out the blocks under. The transitional case and dial, which is original to the movement is the important thing in assessing originality of this clock as a unit.
