Musical Longcase Clock with Automata and Astronomical Dial

A truly extraordinary piece of horological art and skill, and yet it is the only known clock by this maker. The engraved silvered dial, the inner ring calibrated twice I-XII for the hours with outer five minute arabic numerals. An additional ring is calibrated for the annular calendar with additional ring for the Signs of the Zodiac, an aperture with revolving sun mask over a blue ground indicating length of day with rising and falling shutters demonstrating throughout the year the varying lengths of day and night. The central aperture shows the rising and setting of the moon, and is signed Eva, Falmouth. A polychrome automaton figure indicates the tune selection with one hand and with the other beats to the music. To the right is an automaton figure which raises and lowers his telescope to view the comet's orbit. The arch contains a planetarium showing the revolutions of the planets around the sun over a blue ground, and a pearl indicating the path of the comet.

The movement strikes the hours on a bell and plays one of six melodies with fourteen hammers on fourteen bells. The interior of the custom-made case has the original paper label for Arthur S. Vernay collection, No. S.C. 3107 dated December 28th 1934.

Eva is a common surname in Cornwall. Little is known about the clockmaker Richard Eva, except that he was born circa 1734. A Richard Eva is also on record in Tregony, another small town in Cornwall, as a clockmaker. He is credited with making a tower clock for that town. He may have been working in Tregony until circa 1775 and in Falmouth thereafter.