James Arthur Clock and Watch Collection
name: label: Creator
content: New York University
label: Creator
content: Arthur, James, 1842-1912 (machine shop owner)
label: Names
content: Jones, Ezekiel
topic: label: Topic
content: Watches
label: Topic
content: Collectors and collecting
label: Topic
content: Clocks and watches
label: Topic
content: Horology
label: Topic
content: Models (Patents)
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by New York University, 1964.
creator: label: Creator
content: New York University
label: Creator
content: Arthur, James, 1842-1912 (machine shop owner)
setName: label: See more items in
content: James Arthur Clock and Watch Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: A collection of diverse archival materials on the subject of watches and clocks assembled by James Arthur (1842-1912).
bioghist: label: Biographical/Historical note
content: James Arthur owned and operated a New York machine shop for patent models. He came to the United States from Scotland in 1871. Fourteen years later he established Arthur Machine Works in New York City for the construction of original and special machinery. He was a skillful, ingenious, highly trained mechanic. While not technically a clockmaker or a watchmaker, he was especially interested in horology and timekeeping devices. From boyhood, clocks and watches were his hobby and he was a discriminating collector.

For more than forty years, he collected watches and clocks from many countries and periods. Arthur was quick to recognize any features of a clock or watch that gave it a distinctive character. His fondness for the fine points of the machinery did not blind him to distinctions of form and beauty in the cases, to originality in the maker, or to the historical significance of the work. He was devoted to the science no less than to the art of timekeeping. Arthur's collection contained some 1,200 watches, 300 clocks, and numerous accessories.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 15 Cubic feet (32 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1743-1967
custodhist: label: Ownership and Custodial History
content: Arthur's collection of clocks and watches was administered by New York University (NYU) until 1964, when the collection was sent to the Smithsonian on a permanent loan.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0130
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Reports
label: Type
content: Sales catalogs
label: Type
content: Advertisements
label: Type
content: Publications
label: Type
content: Clippings
label: Type
content: Business records
label: Type
content: Inventories
label: Type
content: Patents
label: Type
content: Manuscripts
label: Type
content: Press releases
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is divided into 10 series.

Series 1, Correspondence, 1937-1964 (bulk 1950-1957)

Series 2, Subject Files

Series 3, Organizations

Series 4, The Arthur Collection at New York University, 1930-1968

Series 5, Patent Specification (Unprocessed)

Series 6, Horological Pamphlets and Articles, 1743-1947 (Unprocessed)

Series 7, Miscellaneous, 1825-1966 (Unprocessed)

Series 8, Clock Makers Directory, 15 volumes (Unprocessed)

Series 9, Press Clippings about watches and clocks (Unprocessed)

Series 10, Photographs (Unprocessed)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection partially processed by Archives Center staff. A container list for series 1-4 available.  Series 5 to 10 are unprocessed.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 1850-1900
label: Genre/Form
content: Reports
label: Genre/Form
content: Sales catalogs
label: Genre/Form
content: Advertisements
label: Genre/Form
content: Publications
label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings
label: Genre/Form
content: Business records -- 19th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Inventories
label: Genre/Form
content: Patents
label: Genre/Form
content: Manuscripts -- 19th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Press releases
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: These records contain material on the Arthur collection of clocks and watches. Includes publications, inventories, manuscripts, reports, photographs, advertisements, catalogues, newspaper clippings, patents, and business records; correspondence files of NYU curators concerning the administration of the collection; a watch record book of sales of Ezekiel Jones, carried on bookkeeping, 1822 and 1825; and a copy of the Smithsonian-NYU permanent loan agreement, 1964.