COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 42, NO. 45 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2011
Well, It’s About Time! (And Clocks, Too) by Donald-Brian Johnson
“
T
he hands on the clock go round and round, Round and round, round
and round. The hands on the clock go round and round. To tell us the time.” The Clock Song And there you have it. “Telling us the time.” That’s what clocks do. From tiny travel alarms to massive walnut grandfathers, ancient sundials to up-to-the-minute digiThe “Kit-Cat” clock, a grinning perennial since the 1930s. 15 inches long, (including tail). $50 to $60. (Photo by Donald-Brian Johnson.)
What Makes It Tick? Greater precision was called for, and, during the Middle Ages, European monks, (or at any rate, the blacksmiths they employed), developed mechanical clocks, massive frameworks of interlocking iron gears linked to church bells. Since these solemnly and consistently tolled the hours, the faithful no longer had a good excuse for missing services. For home use, (wealthy homes, that is), spring-driven clocks proved a less cumbersome, and fairly reliable alternative, at least as long as the springs were kept wound. Then came Galileo, and the pendulum clock. It was just about 1580
bronze, and even wedges of Bakelite, Art Deco clocks were so lovely that it was actually an unexpected bonus if they kept perfect time. A 1928 ad for prominent clock manufacturer Gilbert extolled the company’s wares as ideally suited to “the fashion of the time,” since “modern life is vibrant with Sparklingly modern: green and blue glass mosaic clock by Georges Briard. 12 inches square, $100 to $125. (Photo by Leslie Piña.)
Deco, (a term he coined), as “the last truly sumptuous style” he wasn’t kidding. For The Good Times At the opposite end of the time-space continuum were clocks for the budget-conscious. Particularly during the Depression years of the 1930s, inexpensive novelty clocks found favor in homes across America. While less extravagantly outfitted than their high-end Deco contemporaries, these wall and mantel clocks provided good value for the money. Most retailed at $10 or less, and their themes had a uniquely whimsical appeal. Prominent among them were molded-wood clocks by Syroco (Syracuse Ornamental Company). The complete Syroco inventory encompassed everything from brush holders to bookends, offering the look of handcarved wood at a fraction of the cost. When it came to clocks, it didn’t matter if your tastes veered to the figural (monks, waiters, clowns), the animal (cats, parrots, camels), or the cheerily nostalgic (windmills, rustic scenic
tal readouts, we depend on clocks for one thing, and one thing only: to let us know what time it is. have achieved Without them, we’d be late for their tick-tocking work. We’d miss our dental goal through appointments. The brownies oscillation. would overbake. And the kids The same would be left waiting in the rain repetitive after soccer practice. to-and-fro We rely on clocks to bring just m o t i o n a bit of order into our hectic modUp to the minute: Higgins occurs at ern lives. Clocks keep things runGlass “Carnival” wall regular ning like. . .well. . .like clockwork! clock from the early 1960s. intervals. Chunks of fused glass It’s About Time T h a t mark the hours on the patClocks are a prime example of This will definitely motion is terned glass slab. 11-1/2 form following function. In their wake you up: a counted in inches square, $500 to earliest incarnations, the function- twin-bell Westclox established $600. (Photo by Leslie ality of a timepiece was of para- alarm, in a retrounits, (secPiña.) mount importance. Was it telling 1940s styling. 6-1/2 ond, minutes, and so color. In clothes, motorcars, home views). Whatever the preference, the time? More importantly, was it inches high, $10 to forth), then displayed in furnishings, even in architecture.” Syroco had a clock for you. The telling the correct time? Once $15. (Photo by some manner, (such as Well-heeled consumers agreed, mechanism was by Lux, the body those basic questions had been Donald-Brian Johnson.) a clock face), for all to and clamored for increasingly by Syroco, the finished clock both answered satisfactorily, (and it see. Thanks to oscillation, running more elaborate clocks. when the astronomer discovered affordable and endearing. took awhile), designers had all the late has become a thing of the past. that a cathedral lamp, hanging The Parisian Time To Start time in the world to experiment (Well, in an ideal firm, Leon Livin’ with form. But first: an overview from a chain, swung back and world, that is.) forth at a measured rate. Shorten Hatot, for Also popular: on the history of time-keeping, The electric or lengthen the chain, and the rate inexpensive novelty (presented in record time): clock made its clocks ideally suitThe earliest means of telling adjusted accordingly. Galileo died debut in 1840, before his theory could be applied ed for a specific time offered, at best, rough estifurther conroom in the mates, and each had its drawbacks. to clock construction, but in 1656 densing clock the time proved right for a penduhome. (Seth Sundials were fairly accurate, but size. With the Thomas, for useless on a cloudy day, or at lum clock designed by Christian introduction H u y g e n s . example, turned night. Water clocks demonstrated P r e v i o u s of electronics out an entire similar inaccuracies, since most mechani- in the twentieth orchard of kitchenrelied on sundials for their calibrac a l century, almost ready “Red tion. Candle clocks, which burned all traditional Apple” clocks). down to marked notches, clockwork Some companies maintained a steady pace parts were eliminated, specialized in clocks unless it was windy. allowing clocks to with added “oomph”. Then there was the become much more Haddon’s “Ship Ahoy” hourglass. Sand trickcompact, and stylclock lamp had a sailboat led steadily from one istically adaptable. rocking on its painted upended globe to Ideal function waves, while another; when the had at last been M a s t e r C r a f ters top portion was achieved. By ceramic clocks repliempty, the time was the mid-twenticated the pendulum up. But just how eth century, effect with moving much “time” had designers with figures, such as chilactually passed? plenty of time on their dren on swings, or Determining that was arbihands could at long old folks in rocktrary, and dependent on such last experiment with ing chairs. variables as outside temperaform. A grouping of figural and animal-themed clocks, by Lux for A best-seller ture, sand density, and Another Time, Syroco. (Photo by Ray Hanson.) among mid-century hourglass size. Another Place novelties (and still (Incidentally, by my calLavish Art Deco clock culations, the “Wicked Syroco/Lux “Art Clock”. 6-1/2 inches high, $85 stylings of the 1920s and 1930s instance, offered a clear glass stun- in production today): the “Kit-Cat ner with hands and numerals of Clock,” with his pendulum tail, Witch’s” hourglass in The to $105. (Photo by Ray Hanson.) took delight in gilding the lily. silver. Expensive even in their day, hypnotic moving eyes, and eerily Wizard of Oz, gigantic The clock became an art object, though it is, only takes about 6 clocks had lost or gained up to a designed with the same delicacy such creative gems retain their close resemblance to “Felix the half-hour daily. The pendulum pricey allure the second time Cat”. Premiering in basic black, minutes to empty. That’s how and attention to exterior detail as a much time passes from the clock varied just a few seconds painting or sculpture. Fashioned of around. In today’s collectors’ mar- the “Kit-Cat” has, over the years, ket, the going rate for a Hatot is updated his wardrobe to include moment when the Witch turns it each week. Since then, whether pendulum materials ranging from marble, $4,000 to $5,000. When author fire-engine red, restful aqua, and over, to the moment when exotic woods, and ivory, to glass, Alastair Duncan proclaimed Art (Continued on page 2) Dorothy’s pals rush to her rescue.) or spring, electric or digital, clocks