One of the things that Knibb was known for was innovations (or eccentricities) in striking systems, as in the example above the fold where the clock would strike the entire hour at the half hour on a higher pitch bell.  His claim to fame was an odd invention called Roman striking:

If  you've been following this series you've looked at a lot of roman numeral dials.  You may have noticed that all of the roman numeral "four" figures on the dials are engraved "IIII" instead of the more correct "IV".  This is for balance of the dial, as can be seen above where Knibb has the later engraved on the chapter ring.  He built a series of long duration longcase clocks, where to save power on the strike train, the clock struck on two bells following the roman numerals: three would be "ding ding ding", seven would be "dong ding ding".  Make any sense to you? Not to me either, but odd is good in clock collecting.

(image credit: an interesting article on the IIII/IV question by Donn Lathrop)

Here's an excellent small Knibb longcase clock:

This example shows all that makes clocks from this period some of the most desirable horological trophies to collectors.  The clock is small scale, with 10 inch dial and a narrow waist.  The case is veneered in book-matched burl walnut, giving a rich detail to the large flat areas without the fussiness of inlay. The oval aperture for the then still novel pendulum, is typical, as are the twisted pillars on the hood.  As a side note, clocks of this period wouldn't have had a door on the hood, the hood would have slid upward on the backboard, and there was a spring catch to hold the hood up while the clock was being wound. (This construction detail often didn't survive the history of old clocks ending up in humbler quarters with lower ceilings. The bun feet, indeed the entire plinth, might not survive the dampness of such abodes.) The hood had a cresting of restrained elegance, unlike the examples from last week's article on Quare.  It is this unity of elements that makes Knibb one of the best makers, rather than any one detail.

(image credit: John Carlton-Smith)

Here's a great small scale bracket clock, with Knibb's slide type repetition pulls:

(also from: John Carlton-Smith)

An early form of the anchor escapement, called the "tick-tack" is attributed to Knibb, who certainly used it.  This is a very small anchor spanning only a couple of teeth, with a large pendulum amplitude.  It's considered a very bad escapement, and was not much used. He also invented a form of night clock where a disk pierced with the hours rotates in front of a lamp.  Those few that didn't catch fire are considered quite amazing.

There is a novelty in the Joseph Knibb story.  He is recorded as having retired!  In 1697 he sold his London business and stock and retired to Green End Farm, in Hanslope:

There are a few Knibb clocks in existence which are signed "Hanslope". This titbit from: www.mkheritage.co.uk

(A Knibb dial closeup from Melvyn Kane)

Next time: Notes on lesser known makers of the English "golden age", and some general comments.

Previously:

Monastic alarms and the beginnings of clockmaking
De Dondi's remarkable astrarium
Early tower clocks
Gothic iron clocks
Rennaisance clocks
Early english lantern clocks
Huygens and the pendulum
Fromanteel's English pendulum clocks
Huygens in Paris
Clement and the recoil escapement
Edward East and the golden age
Thomas Tompion
Daniel Quare