Japanese wadokei pillar clock

Japanese wadokei pillar clock, unknown maker, 19th century. Weight driven movement with verge and foliot escapement. Time is indicated by a pin attached to the weight, which points to a series of moveable numbered plates along the rosewood trunk of the clock. Bequeathed to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers by the Rev. H.L. Nelthropp. 1901. Clockmakers' Museum No. 579.

Japan did not adopt ‘Western’ time until 1873. Before that Japanese clocks recorded the time in two parts: from dawn to dusk and dusk to dawn. Each part consisted of six hours, but because day and night varied in length according to the seasons, hours in each part were rarely the same length. Pillar clocks like this one were hung on a supporting column of a house, which was, like the clock, long and narrow. The single hand is attached to the weight. As this drops the hand passes the moveable plates along the trunk. This allows for the custom of using different lengths of hour throughout the year, depending on the seasons and natural length of day and night.