Image
Category
Maker
Object type
Place
Material
Date
Astronomical clock by Samuel Watson

Astronomical clock by Samuel Watson

1690-1710

Pedestal astronomical clock by Samuel Watson, London, England, in ebonised case, with one cranked winding key and two door keys, 1690-1710. Time Measurement gallery label: ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK A pedestal clock, signed Samuel Watson, London, and made about 1695. It is the earliest English astronomical clock in which the sun is fixed, on the Copernican principle, and it shows, besides the time of day, the date, the position of the sun in the Zodiac, the phase of the moon and its latitude (important for eclipse predicitons), and the times of sunrise and of moonrise and moonset; the time of high tide at London Bridge can also be read off. Samuel Watson was born in Coventry about 1635 and worked there until about 1690, when he moved to London. He died about 1710. A much more elaborate astronomical clock was made by Watson over the period 1683 to 1690, to the order of King Charles II; this clock is now in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.

Pedestal astronomical clock by Samuel Watson

1690-1710

Bracket clock by Ellicott, London, with two winding keys and two door keys

Bracket clock by Ellicott

400-day 'anniversary' clock, brass base with circular glass shade, disc pendulum with 6-pillared gallery, 2 winding keys, numbered 68382, possibly by Jahresuhrenfabrik, Germany, 1898-1915.

400-day 'anniversary' clock, brass base with glass shade

1898-1915

Bracket clock by Ellicott, London, with three winding keys, one door key, and one winding handle

Bracket clock by Ellicott, London, with two windin

Copy of a Dwerrihouse skeleton clock with coup-perdu escapement. Made by Thwaites and Reed, London, England, 1973. No. 88 of a limited edition of 100.

Copy of a Dwerrihouse skeleton clock with coup-perdu escapement

1973

Skeleton clock, brass

Skeleton clock, brass

1972