An Evocative Early 19thC Circular Painted Grandfather Clock Dial by Timothy Mason of Chesterfield

Origin: English
Period: Late Eighteenth / Early Nineteenth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1795-1810
Diameter: 13 inches

The early well-worn round face with green grey ground having hand painted roman numerals and faded makers name ‘Mason, Chesterfield’.

Once having been the face of a long case clock, this dial is in as found condition and has not been cleaned or restored in any way, thus retaining its charms as a decorative piece of art. This particular dial is very well worn and thus has enormous appeal in decorative terms, with a very strong craquelure evenly spread over the face.

Timothy Mason of Chesterfield was known to be working from around 1795. There were several generations of Masons in Yorkshire: Timothy, Gainsborough, 1695; then John, Doncaster with records of a long laquer case clock by him, about 1740; then John at Bawtry; Thomas at Bawtry; and Timothy at Chesterfield at 1795; then John apprenticed to Timothy at Chesterfield, began business at Rotherham in 1801.

The colour of this face is especially appealing, and if a clock dial could ever tell a story then this relic of time would surely tell the most beautiful tale ever told.