They call them perpetual calendars. But that may be a persistent misnomer. It certainly needs some further exploration. It is so hard to find out definitive information about them, those simple, neat stylish wooden cabinets, often no more than eight inches high, variously made out of oak or mahogany or beechwood. Four screws hold theContinue reading “Perpetual calendars – elusive history and a Catch 22”
Category Archives: clocks
The Miller’s tale – can you solve the intriguing mystery?
Antique clocks carry stories. What makes this ordinary late Victorian Ansonia Tunis mantel clock especially intriguing? Can you answer the Miller’s riddle?
Worth its weight in gold?
Isn’t there something very sad about seeing a once treasured jewellery item have its value estimated at auction by its metal weight? Is everything merely worth its weight in gold? For me, the idea that something with so much artisanry – a hand-crafted ring, a gold necklace, a beautiful brooch – is now being soldContinue reading “Worth its weight in gold?”
Mindfulness? I forget to do it and fix clocks instead
We are constantly being told to be ‘authentic’, or ‘mindful’, or ‘in the moment’. Influencers tell us to ‘live our best lives’ then to splatter it all over social media. Me – I’d rather quietly tuck myself away in the workshop/study, tinker with clocks, and write. But maybe that’s not so far off what is ‘on trend’.
Bakelite – and a perfect Wyn-win encounter
It started with a call out of the blue, delivered in a lovely Welsh lilt from a village near Carmarthen, west of Swansea. Two weeks later, over half a century of family history had been restored. And some Bakelite was gleaming on the Welsh dresser. * “I’ve got an old clock that doesn’t work. HowContinue reading “Bakelite – and a perfect Wyn-win encounter”
Taking a hammer to a clock feels hit and miss
Behind a painted dial what horrors await? And should I fix them? A nation turns its lonely eyes to me on the Robinson longcase clock.
Forging ahead proves a treat – Robinson Part 2
There is more to this clock restoration than meets the eye. Coaxing precision crafted clock parts to work in harmony when they have been battered by neglect and the passage of time is one thing. Entering the mysterious and timeless world of the blacksmith is another. And it turns out to be an unexpected treat.Continue reading “Forging ahead proves a treat – Robinson Part 2”
My Word – here’s to you Mr Robinson
What started as a walk with friends on the fringes of the Yorkshire Moors, developed into a thrilling encounter with an early 19th century clock and the inevitable meeting with a mid-20th century mantel clock. Serendipity, or more?
Just checking in – marking time in the workplace
Using the technology of the day to monitor workforce behaviour is nothing new. Meet the wonderful Gledhill-Brook Time Recorder clock.
There’s no present like the time – just ask the homeless
This is not a post about buying someone a clock for Christmas – although that’s not such a bad idea. It is about giving the gift of time in a different way. Charity begins at home – which is all very well if you have one. For the homeless or rough sleepers, winter must bringContinue reading “There’s no present like the time – just ask the homeless”