Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
Grandfather's Clocks From
a Substantial Standpoint.
ANCIENT EXAMPLES
INTERESTING TIMEPIECEs IN
THIS COUNTRY.
Tracing Back to the First One Made
for Charles the Fifth Of
France.

Written for The Evening Star
Without the slightest intention of being
Iacetious, the clock may be considered
timely subject to discuss at the beginning
OF the new year. The last hours of old 1902
nave recently been licked out by honored
timepieces the world over. We have wound
up our clocks and our resolutions afresh for
another year, but both, alas, will run down
many times before the twelve months roll
round again.
There is no article Of furniture abou.
which cluster SO many affectionate mem
cries as the long-case clock, familiar to all
of us as the "grandfather's clock" 1t has
IN Its time adorned kitchen and hall, mar
Tor and bed chamber. Strong and durable
when well made, it will keep time after 200
years. It has been present at birth and
death; has watched the family fortunes
through successive stages from one genera
ton to another. It has helped the poet turn
many pretty sentence, and even If we did
not Know we should feel perfectly certain
that Longfellow's "Old Clock on the Stairs
was OF the grandfather variety. This poem
touches the heart and stirs the memory of
every man and woman who reads it simply
Tor the true humanity expressed in the
INES. The most prosaic of us can imagine
such clock ticking out the forever, never,
never, forever" Of the poet
Ihe earliest grandfather's clocks were
very narrow and less lofty than they after
ward became. The head was square, as
distinguished from the dome shape which
eventually came to be made. The faces
were OFTEN OF brass or steel. These faces
were handsomely engraved with chased
Drass cornerpieces representing cherubs,
heads, crowns, or something more fanci-
ful. The plain white faces did not come in
until well on In the eighteenth century
Long clocks are the direct descendants of
the beautiful brass chamber ones which are
SO greatly sought after by collectors. MANY
OF the early clocks were made of oak, but
TOT those Of superior quality walnut was
largely used. Oak, with a mahogany inlay.
was often employed right through the
eighteenth century. The clocks made after
the arrival of William and Mary were Law
lshiy adorned with marquetry by the many
Dutch artifcers attracted to England by
the presence of Hollander on the throne,
IN time lacquer adornments were added
These old clocks had a single finger of elab-
crate design A very early example Of the
Dutch-English design has floral maruuetry
on the case carried up round the head,
making a highly effective border to the
face. The twisted pillars of the head are
very characteristic of the long clocks and a
useful suggestion Of the date.
Watching the Swing.
So. too. is the little bulrs-eye pane in the
case. through which the pendulum, oddly
distorted. is seen swinging. Most Of these
Ola tlmers are to be found in England.
At the admiralty in London is an official
looking mahogany clock which was pre-
sented to the Office by Queen Anne. 1t
is the work Of Thomas Tompian, the great
est of English horologists. This clock is
remarkable for having twenty-four hour
dial. and it goes for twelve months This
reminds one of the man who went to buy a
clock, and when shown one that would go
eight days without winding asked how
long 1t would go If you wound it.
OF course, the big grandfather clocks are
most attractive. but there are other shelf
clocks which are very interesting They
have broad faces and clumsy works, and
their glass fronts are painted over with
wonderful scenery and delightfully."- impos-
sible people. Every clock has pasted with
in 1t directions which serve to set 1t 60
Ing, and the funny thing Is that the d.
rections all begin, make the clock fast
In perpendicular position, take off the
hands and face" What earthly good Is a
clock with its hands and face off?
The most wonderful clock in the world
is exhibited in St. Petersburg. Its mag
nif1cence may be imagined from the fact
of it's having no less than ninety-five faces
1t tells simultaneously the time of the day
at thirty different spots on the earth's sur
face, besides the movements of the earth
round the sun, the phases of the moon and
the signs of the zodiac, the passage over