A RARE GEORGE III SMALL MAHOGANY HOODED WALL TIMEPIECELAWRENCE, BATH, CIRCA 1785The four pillar eight-day key-wound movement with anchor escapement regulated by seconds pendulum, the plates with extensions and united by an offset pillar to the lower right allowing space for the great-wheel which protrudes beneath the movement, the 4.375 inch silvered brass Roman numeral break-arch dial with Arabic five minutes beyond the minute track, with fine pierced blued steel hands and delicate foliate scroll engraved infill to spandrels with the upper continuing up into the arch to flank the signature Lawrence, BATH, the case with stepped ogee cornice and stylised leafy spray carved quadrant infill to frieze incorporating line-strung border to lower margin, over hinged glazed dial aperture decorated with further leafy sprays and flanked by free-standing columns, the sides also carved, the throat with line-strung complex cavetto and ogee mouldings over stepped ogee profile side bracket supports, decorated with carved leafy sprays to sides and to the cavetto break-arch pendant back panel between.55cm (21.5ins) high, 28cm (11ins) wide, 22cm (8.5ins) deep.Included with the current timepiece is a file relating to the life and work of its maker, Richard Lawrence, compiled by the vendor. Included is excerpts from White, Ian WATCH AND CLOCKMAKERS IN THE CITY OF BATH which records Richard Lawrence as born in Warminster in 1729 and apprenticed to John Taylor, in Bath in 1744. On completion of his apprenticeship Lawrence travelled to London before returning and setting-up as a clockmaker in his hometown of Warminster. He then moved to Bath and worked from a room over the passage between Orange Grove and Terrace Walk in 1753 before moving to Wade's Passage in Bath the following year. Richard Lawrence married Elizabeth French in 1754 and was elected a Common Council man in 1763. He became actively involved in the City Corporation's affairs which led to his election as one of the two Sheriff of the City in 1770. Richard Lawrence died on 23rd March 1773 and was buried at All Saints, Weston; his widow continued the business until 1781.