Lot 338
ARCHIBALD KNOX (1864-1933) FOR LIBERTY & CO., LONDON
RARE EXTRA-SIZE 'TUDRIC' PEWTER CLOCK, CIRCA 1900
Auction: Day Two: 03 November 2020 | From 10:00
Description
the circular dial enclosed within tapered case inlaid with abalone shell tablets, stamped maker's marks to base TUDRIC/ 0252
Dimensions
25cm high
Footnote
Literature: Liberty Pewter Sketch Book, Westminster City Archives, London, n.d., p. 57, no. 0252
Tilbrook, Adrian J. The Designs of Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co., London, 1995, p. 106, no. 88
Martin, Stephen A. Archibald Knox, Art Media Press, London, 2001 pp. 240 and 241
Note:
Archibald Knox’s designs for Liberty & Co. are very well documented, especially his designs for their ‘Tudric’ and ‘Cymric’ ranges. At 25cm high, however, this clock is unusually larger than its smaller counterpart, which typically measures around 16cm high. Knox is known to have produced only a few extra-sized clocks during his Liberty period and it may be that this rare example was produced as a special commission.
Knox’s work draws on the rich cultural heritage of his native Isle of Man. As with many of the larger clocks that are known to exist, their monumental and minimalist forms are reminiscent of the standing Celtic stones which populate the island’s countryside and which Knox spent a lifetime exploring. The decoration on this example, stripped of superfluous ornament, incorporates abalone shell inlay as a series of narrow strips; a stark and striking visual effect that signals a modernist approach to the design. This impressive clock fulfils Knox’s desire to bring together two worlds which he valued deeply: the ancient Celtic tradition and the new, modern world of design, which was undergoing the development of a new and innovative aesthetic.