Dear friends, let me show you something different this time....

A place all filled with the magic of the ages gone, captured shadows and voices of the dim past...
"Clocks and watches" exhibition in British Museum.

Here you can see a Brass mantel clock, about 1860. In the 1820s, the 'sceleton" clock came into existence in France. The design quickly became popular in Britain, where many thousands were made. As in this example, the plates were pierced out to reveal the intricacies of the machine.


Astronomical table clock, 1720-25.
Complex clocks like this one were made for those interested in astronomy. Its maker, John Naylor, had difficulty selling what must have been an expensive item. In the esnd he disposed of it by lottery. Each entrant paid 2 guineas and the winner took the clock, still giving Naylor a good income. The base is turnable so it can be rotated for winding - important as the clock is extremely heavy to lift.


On the left - gilt-brass clock-watch, 1580s. By the 1580s new rounded watches had became fashionable. They finely made clock-watche strikes the hours on a bell inside the back of the case. The alarm is set by turning the disc in the middle of the dial, until the required alarm time appears beneath the tail of the hand.
On the right - gilt-brass watch, 1595-1605.
Clock-watches stricke the hours as a clock does. This case is finely pierced and engraved. The lotted disk (count-wheel) numbered 1-12 on the back of the mechanism determines how many times the hammer hits the bell.

Organ clock, about 1760.
Musical clocks were very popular in the 1700s. This impressive example has a miniature organ in teh back of its case; the pipes above the deal are decorative. The organ was re-pinned in the 1800s and now plays music including Weber's Der Freischutz of 1821. The dial in the middle at the top shows the titles of the original tunes. The 'PLAY/NOT PLAY' dial silences the music, which otherwise plays every three hours.

Mystery mantel clock, about 1880.
Andre Guilmet is best know for his 'mystery' clocks, where there is no obvious connection between the clock and its swinging pendulum. Guilmet's most common design included a standing figure like this.The figure is rotated back and forth a tiny amount, enough to keep pendulum swinging. Unusually, the glass dial allows the 'mystery' to be viewed in action. The polished slate case in typically French.

Travelling clock, about 1700.
This is one of the smallest and the most complicated clocks ever made by the famous clockmaster Thomas Tompion. The inscriptions suggest that it was made for a French customer. Originally it had dual control - regulated by a pendulum when stationary and a balance when being transported (now missing). Pulling a cord makes the clock strike the previous hour and quarter on a bell when reguired.

Miniature table clock, about 1695.
This usunually small English table clock has an ebony-veneered case and silver mounts. The mount at the front depicts a lion and a unicorn. At the centre is a false pendulum to start and stop the clock. The two smaller dials are for ajusting the pendulum (left) and silencing the strike (right). It is signed `Tho Tompion London Fecit`, a reference to the maker Thomas Tompion.

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