THE EVOLUTION OF CLOCKS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 108, 2 November 1929, Page 17

THE EVOLUTION OF CLOCKS

It is not generally realised that the clock dates, back at least as far as the 14th century—and is not,, as many people suppose, a comparatively recent invention (says the "Hanchester Guardim"). -These early clocks -were only to be found in. churches, monasteries, and public buildings>as they ivere -worked by-heavy driv. ing weights suspended on chains. The invention of the mainspring by a Xurmui berg- clockmaker at the beginning of the 16th century made portable and .small clocks possible, and from plain, square, or circular boxes, .-with the dial horizontal'on the top, .they developed into'all-kinds-of fanciful. shapes. . . -.. _ -.-... .. : :; :,\ The "net," or ship clock', was made for the Emperor Rudolf about 15S0. It showed not only the time, but the signs of tlie zodiac and the days of. the ' week and mppth. -with automatic figures pointing to The hour oh a revolving' globe were very popular in Germany during the second,half of the_l7th- century.. An early. British example -was'the brass clock, dated 1590. . This was :niade~T& Batholomew v Wewsum, -w-atchmaker ; to. Queen. Elizabeth, and was a fairly comniqu type of design., . f "~ '."■. '..". The;gift sun-ray clock dates-frpni. the! lSth; century, and is of French origin. Sspc> cimens. of these: very beautiful clocks are plentiful Tin the antique- shops, and- giv^ an exquisite' finish to lSth century: period rooms. : ■ . ■ --•'■. .