A Long History of Clocks

Just what is a clock? Let's take a short look at the history of clocks.

Humankind has always recognized the passing of time and has tried to measure and record that passing. The simple alarm clock at your bedside table owes its existence to more than 6,000 years of thinking about time and tinkering with devices to accurately mark its passage. Some of the most respected scientists have been involved in this thinking, including Galileo, noticed the swinging of a chain swinging from a ceiling was done in a series of exact repetitive oscillations. This led to the pendulum in today's clocks as evidenced in a crude pendulum clock dating back to 1642.

The clock is an instrument used to measure and record the passing of time. The telling of time is usually done with hands or changing numbers to indicate the hour, though I have seen balls suspended in a liquid.and minute. The clock was first used during the 14th century (about 700 years ago) and is considered one of the oldest of human inventions. The origin of the word 'clock' comes from the French 'cloche' meaning bell as in signaling of time via bell.

Before clocks were invented, the only way people could tell the time was by looking at progress of the sun as it passed across the sky. It was was concsidered the middle of the day, or noon if the sun was directly overhead in the sky though this is somewhat inaccurate depending on the season. When the sun was close to the horizon, it was either sunset or sunrise. while not a very accurate method to tell time, it was the only game in town at this time.

When you start on a journey of collecting clocks, there are so many types of clocks that the only time consuming part might be where you want to start your collection. In the 18th century and earlier, many clocks were custom made and could only be afforded by the well off segment of the population. When mass production came into being,clock makers took advantage of the assembly line making these wonderful time keepers available to the masses and today to the collector.

When you begin to think of building a clock collection, it is important to do your research. Book stores and libraries and the internet are good places to conduct this research. Always remember, Google is your friend. By learning how a given clock is constructed and should look, the collector can determine whether a piece is original and has no missing parts. In the case of wood bodied clocks, it is necessary to know if the piece has been restored or is in original condition. By knowing what to check for things such as matching veneers, oxidation to wood surfaces, and glue blocks, the collector can see if work to the clock has taken place. The history of clock making is both interesting and important to the collector. Some collections are built around those made by an individual manufacturer. Others around a specific type of clock. Whether a collection is generic or eclectic in nature, remember the fun is in the search and that search is easy to begin. Clocks can be found in antique shops, flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores and on the internet.

Early time pieces were made in Europe. The mantel clocks made in England were produced mostly by cabinet makers who made the case and clock makers for the works. The lines are clean and simple. French mantels on the other hand are normally very ornate and were produced with the participation of several artisans such as enamellers, gilders, and engravers. These pieces look wonderful on a collectors shelf and do not take up much room.

Early English lantern clocks also sit on the shelves.and due to their popularity among the Victorians were reproduced in large numbers. The earliest examples have weight driven movements. Later versions are spring driven and were more reliable and accurate. Lantern clocks are beautiful in design and frequently have the bell or chime mounted on top while mantels chimes are located inside the casing.

If display room is available, a collection of floor standing longcase clocks may be one’s preference. These clocks are called grandfather or grandmother clocks and are available in a large assortment of designs from simple country styles to more sophisticated examples of faces and cases, these pieces are cherished due in part to the rich sound of the chime.

Regulator clocks are both floor standing and wall hanging. American made examples are off shoots of European examples. The rich colors of the wood cases made of mahogany, walnut, oak and other woods make them a popular collectible.

Carriage clocks later known as travel clocks have become popular among collectors. Due to their portability they are smaller in size and consume less display space. There are a large number of these pieces on the market and carriage clocks would be a good selection for collecting.