From Time To Time

From Time to Time

Clocks are one of the earliest inventions of man.   We have always felt the need to know what time it was for one reason or another.   The sun-dial was the first of these man-made devices for measuring the time.   Unfortunately, it had the disadvantage of only being useful on sunny days.   They definitely would not have worked in the winter in Alaska.

Since we needed greater dependability, man soon developed the water clock, the oil and the sand clock respectively.   They all worked pretty much the same with the time being measured by the amount of material that passed from one container to another.

The next step in clock making was the invention of the mechanical clock.   It was driven by weights and gears and was possibly invented by medieval Muslim engineers.   In the 18th century grandfather clocks were designed to house works that had a long pendulum.

In 1808, Eli Terry, began the mass production of clocks.   This was quite unusual since previously they had been hand-crafted one at a time.   He soon became known as the father of the clock industry in America.   In 1814, he introduced the works for a smaller clock that could sit on a mantel or shelf.  It relied on the suspension of weights by pulleys on either side of the movement.   Thus began the shelf and the wall clock which we use so often today.   By 1840, coiled springs were being used and were even smaller.   Battery operated clocks were introduced in the 1870's.

Today, you can find clocks in almost any shape or size.   Most of them are not as ornate as the clocks of yesteryear and the mechanisms are more sophisticated, but the purpose is the same.   We still want to know what time it is!

I have been an antique dealer for many years.  During this time I have developed a love for clocks of all shapes and sizes from the antique clocks to the modern ones.   I hope to share with the reader the uniqueness of these works of art.
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