Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-15
COSTLY CLOCKS.

George W. Childs, of the Philadelphia
Ledger, according to the Record OF that
city, is the possessor of clocks to the value
of $50. 600. Among them is General
Grants present, sometimes known as the
Grant clock and often named the Klingen.
burg clock latter it's maker, John Klingen.
burg, of Amsterdam), of great value. But
it is commonplace, as compared with the
Rittenhouse clock, which occupies an hon.
ored corner in the magnificent office. For
ingenuity and accuracy and beauty of work.
manship it is believed to exceed any clock
in America. David Rittenhouse, a famous
Philadelphia, after whom Rittenhouse
Square was named, made the clock in l767
for Joseph Potts, who paid S640 to Ritten-
house. This timepiece was much sought
after In the early days of the republic, l25
guineas having been offered for it by Lord
Howe, when he was holding Philadelphia
under occupation. Later on the
Spanish Minister to the United States
wanted to make substantial present to
his sovereign, and offered $500
for this clock. It. however, fell into the
possession of the Barton family, who re-
tanned it until it was bought by Mr.. Childs
in October, 1879. The intricacy OF its
mechanism is wonderful 1t contains
seventy-two wheels, with $685. teeth. 1t
is operated by three weights, aggregating
100 pounds in weight. In addition to the
timepiece it has musical attachment and
limited planetarium in miniature. On its
face are six dials. The main dial in the
center has four hands, indicating seconds,
minutes, hours and days, the last being so
set as to run perpetually, with due pro-
vision for leap-year and all the other vaga.
ries of the calendar. The phases of the
moon are also shown. The second dial &C.
curately represents the movements of
Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury and the
earth around the sun, each of the planets
being represented by small gold ball, that
makes its orbital revolutions around the
central sun with wonderful precision. Thus
far the gold ball marked Jupiter has made
only nine and a half revolutions since the
clock was made-ll4 years ago. The rim OF
the dial is marked with the signs of the
zodiac, thus showing the location of each
planet. These clocks in Mr.. Childs' Office
could not be bought for any money. They
cost over $40, 900, while $50, 200 will hard
ly cover the cost of all his clocks, number.
ing fifty, the others being divided among
his summer house at Wootten, his Long
Branch residence, and his mansion at
Twenty. second and Walnut streets. Every
room in each of these donliciles has its
clock, and each clock has its peculiar
merit. In the library at the corner of
Twenty second and Walnut streets is
heavy clock, rich in design and finish, that
was once owned by Prince Napoleon, while
in the parlor stands what is perhaps the
most costly parlor clock to be found in the
world. 1t weighs two tons and stands
nine feet high, onyx and verde antique
forming base two feet square and four
feet high. On this pedestal poses life
size figure in silver of a woman, her raised
arm posing a circular pendulum, which
operates the machinery in the base. The
clock won universal admiration, as well as
the grand prize, at the Paris exhibition
of 1867.