Some World Wide Famous Clocks

In early Britain time keeping became veryAn important factor is the condition of the
important because of the ships finding problems inmovement; of greater interest to the collector
locating their position. This made the Britishthan the case. Continual use during the centuries
clock-making famous world-wide. And clocks aswill have caused wear and necessitated
we see some of them still existing in their originalreplacement of parts; if this has not been done
forms, put outside for public uses.with great care and by a knowledgeable
Extremely accurate time-keeping would make itcraftsman much of the value will have been lost,
possible for a ship to find its exact position at sea,and it will be found that it is a very expensive
and the government offered big rewards for thismatter to correct it.
purpose. Harrison, Mudge and Arnold are the threeAn apparently fine clock will sometimes disclose
most famous names in this connection and theiron examination that the entire striking mechanism
painstaking labors did much to ensure thehas been removed, or that the old escapement
supremacy of British shipping and the worldwidehas been changed for a more modern, but less
fame of British clock making.capricious, one. Further, movements have been
The earliest clocks were almost certainly madeadapted to fit cases, and vice versa; a long case
by blacksmiths; they had heavy iron frames andof small size, known as a grandmother, should be
they show few signs of the small-scale precisiontreated with great caution. Old examples do exist
associated with the work of a true clockmaker.but are very rare, and unscrupulous fakers have
With the advent of the portable clock came themanufactured the majority of them.
widespread use of brass, and the accuracy andIn France, clocks were placed in large and
neatness typical of such mechanisms. By theornamental cases, sometimes with matching
middle of the eighteenth century few householdswall-brackets, covered in tortoiseshell inlaid with
were without a clock of some type; usually a longbrass (Boulle work). The fashion lasted from
case or grandfather.about 1690, through the eighteenth century and
The demand for these grew so great that thelater. In the early 1700's cases began to be
trade became divided into a number of specialists,veneered with kingwood, tulipwood, and other
each of whom made one or more parts. Arare woods, mounted in ormolu and designed in
country clockmaker ordered his requirements,styles to match those prevailing for furniture.
assembled them and added his name on the frontOther clocks were given cases of ormolu and
of the face. The majority of surviving clocksbronze, sometimes set with Dresden and other
made in country towns and villages were putchina groups and with Sevres porcelain flowers.
together in this manner, and only occasionallyGenuine specimens are rare and expensive, and
were they made entirely by the men whosethey have been copied carefully and often. A
names appear boldly on them.feature of an old French clock movement is that
The first clock cases were of gilt metal or brass,the pendulum is suspended on a silk thread, which
and the familiar type known as the lantern clock iscan be lengthened or shortened to regulate the
a typical example. Wooden cases were introducedtime.
in the seventeenth century, mostly of oakGerman clocks often resemble closely the French.
veneered with ebony but later with walnut andOthers had movements of which the framing
other woods. Inlays of floral marquetry and laterwas of wood instead of the usual brass.
of satinwood and ebony stringing followedClocks in their present as well as in their old forms
fashions that prevailed at the times ofcame in different shapes and sizes and designs as
manufacture. Whereas a good Tompion will realizewell. Clocks were placed in large and ornamental
a thousand pounds or more, clocks by lesscases in France. Clocks came in different
exalted makers can be bought comparativelyornaments made of different metals like iron,
cheaply.sliver, woods, bronze, etc.