mechanical clocks make me happy… clock happy. while you can see (most of) my collection at https://clockhappy.com this blog allows me to tell the story behind each clock and add additional perspectives and information. i don't love all mechanical clocks, though. by 1880, the seth thomas company (later purchased by tandy corp., who owned radio shack) had over 800 employees and was churning out … [Read more...]
it’s a date… clocks w/ calendars
the clock featured on this blog's home page was made in 1568 and tells you the date, the day of the week, and even the positions of the stars. while early longcase clocks had 'calendar wheels' driven by the movement that would update every 24 hours, that's all they could do; they eventually require human interaction as they didn't know whether a given month had 30 days or 31… or, in the case of … [Read more...]
isaac wood tall case, c1780
this lovely tall case clock was made in shropshire (aka 'salop') by isaac wood. apparently most of the family members were clockmakers, although i can't imagine how isaac actually had the time to make a clock: Isaac Wood (brother of Capt Wood and uncle of the diarist JC Wood) was a prominent Shrewsbury citizen: watchmaker, editor of the “Salopian Journal”, and enthusiastic promoter of the … [Read more...]
late biedermeier vienna regulator
this gorgeous thing is a 'biedermeier vienna regulator' with single-piece 'pie crust' dial… c1835-1848. biedermeier clocks came mostly out of vienna, but also germany. the dial, cast bezel and hands are all exquisite. the five legged weight pulley is also typical, lovely, and desirable to collectors. this is a one-weight clock with one winding hole… which makes it time only. that works for … [Read more...]
on one hand…
here's a dial i picked up on eBay for $80... c1750. i don't know about you, but that positively delights me. 270-some years old and gorgeous... not to mention informative. note that there is one hand. also note that there are four marks between the numbers, instead of five. why? from 1658 to the early 1700s the majority of clock were produced with no minute hands because they just weren't … [Read more...]
