EARLY CLOCKS WANTED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28950, 18 July 1959, Page 17

EARLY CLOCKS WANTED

Requirements For Museum The first shop which visitors to the Canterbury Museum will see in the “early Christchurch street” will contain clocks, watches, and jewellery. At the moment it is fairly well stocked with early American clocks of the period; but Mr G. Foster (who is preparing this display) is anxious to obtain the gift or extended loan of English and French makes. These are his urgent requirements:—Two French ormulu clocks, the type mounted with ornate gilded figures; two or three French carriage clocks, which stand about eight inches high and have glass sides and top so the movement can be seen; a Black Forest “wag o’ the wall,” which has a small face but a long pendulum; two or three English bracket clocks, which have glass backs and fronts so the engraving on the rear plate may be reflected in a mantelpiece mirror; and perhaps a Vienna “regulator,” which closely resembles those by which watchmakers still keep correct time. Mr Foster organised the big horological exhibition at the Centennial industries fair in Christchurch. Timepieces from all over New Zealand were offered. This time he is appealing for clocks directly associated with early Canterbury. - Apart from old clocks from private homes, he has one off the Cressy, John Robert Godley’s watch, and also one which belonged to Edward Ward, who was drowned in Lyttelton harbour. Already there is a large collection of watches from the South Kensington Museum. The shop will be named after G. Coates, an early Christchurch watchmaker and jeweller in Colombo street. Anyone with suitable clocks to offer may leave a message for Mr Foster at the museum.