/ by Lynn Greenlaw
/ photography by Eli Warren
Since humans have roamed the earth there has always been a need to tell time. Over the centuries much easier ways have developed than depending on where the sun or the stars are in the sky or how quickly it becomes dark at night.
The concept of the clock began with the ancient Egyptians who used shadow clocks such as obelisks to track the sun. They also developed the water clock which utilized a vessel filled in the morning that leaked through holes in the bottom and helped with the measurement of time’s passing. And when was the last time you went looking for your hourglass to be able to tell what time it is? The real advancement came with the development of the geared water clock in the 11th century by an Arabian engineer.
We’ve advanced to devices on our arms or in our pockets that can give us the exact time anywhere on the planet within a few seconds. Absolutely amazing. One thing that is missing however is the beauty that exists in the timepieces that were created for the home beginning in the mid-1600s. The pendulum clock, invented by Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch mathematician, physicist, astronomer and inventor, was considered the most precise timepiece of the era and was found in homes, factories, offices and railroad stations throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
Artisans began to concentrate on the exterior of the clock with a desire to make it as much
like a work of art as possible. Whether it be ornately carved wood, delicately painted porcelain, gold or gilded metal, you could find a decorative clock that would hang on your wall,
sit on your mantle or table or stand tall (a longcase clock) in your entry.
Unfortunately, the pendulum clock was largely replaced in the 1930s and ‘40s by electrified ones, but many remain and can be a decorative and utilitarian addition to decor.
The clocks shown on these pages represent an example of the craftsmanship and intricate detail that is available on vintage and antique clocks. They are from the collection of Horologist Curt Lefferts.
Lefferts was led to clock repair via a background in fine cabinetry, woodworking and mechanical repairs, all of which began from an interest in the history of colonial times and the antiquities of that era. Eventually his interest evolved to time and the devices that measure it. He currently has a space in The Rock House Antiques where he offers clock repair services and an opportunity to purchase vintage and antique clocks.
