Clocktime: Gould's Musical Moonphase Longcase c1701, 01 Introduction

Christopher Gould - Musical movement break-arch moonphase in finely lined walnut longcase.
Join Dr John C Taylor OBE from the Clocktime digital museum as he introduces Gould’s Musical Moonphase Longcase, circa 1701.
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This is the most beautiful, complex musical clock by Christopher Gould made in about 1701. But where and to whom Christopher Gould was apprenticed has been lost in the midst of time but he joined the Clockmakers' Company in April 1682 as a 'free brother' described as a 'Great' clockmaker, what we nowadays would call a maker of tower clocks for buildings. A month later in May 1682, he took his first apprentice, acquiring Andrew Clark from a fellow clockmaker brother in the Clockmakers' Company, Daniel Stevens. In 1697, Christopher signed the oath for allegiance to King William on the list to the Clockmakers' Company signatories. All freemen were required to do this, though a few members of extreme conscience such as the Quakers like Daniel Quare refused to sign as they would not swear oaths. Christopher soon became known for the quality of his clocks which equalled and even exceeded the master clockmaker of his age Thomas Tompion. If 300 year old full Grande Sonnerie clocks are rare, then musical clocks are even rarer. Christopher Gould's impressive musical clock is of 8 days duration. It's 8 feet 10 and 1/4 inches which is 2,697mm to the top of the central finial. It has a seconds pendulum controlled by an anchor escapement and the clock plays music on every hour followed by an hour strike and this can be repeated at will by pulling the repeat chord of 14 bells with 28 hammers from the chord inside the case behind the door. Originally, other tunes were available as the pin barrel inside the movement here is removable. Unfortunately, the other barrels have been lost. The subsidiary in the break arch of the dial shows the Moon's phase by a penny Moon, together with a lunar calendar and a double 12 hour tidal ring, which can be set for any port. The matted dial centre has a seconds ring and three ringed winding holes and a date aperture. The chapter ring is signed 'Christopher Gould Londini Fecit' around the VI engraving. The burr walnut case has inset banding in kingwood and tulipwood surrounded by fine double boxwood with an inner ebony stringing of exceptional high quality here in spite of his prodigious horological talent. Christopher was unfortunately no businessman and he was declared bankrupt in 1706 and ended his career as an ale taster. The Clockmakers' Company was sympathetic, appointing him as a Beagle, together with a pension until his death in 1718. What a sad end to a clockmaker who's talent equalled and in some clocks such as this musical clock exceeded that of Thomas Tompion, who is buried in the central part of the Nave of Westminster Abbey.