On antique clocks by Schmitt Fine Arts eclock

Notes on antique clocks follow below with examples. Click link at bottom for transport to our extensive antique clocks eclock auction site. Click here for CLOCK AUCTION information.

In the Egyptian and Roman eras, time was measured by draining sand in an hour glass or by dripping water out of a container; smaller containers, or scales along the container produced smaller increments or minutes. As the world awoke from the Dark Ages, iron workers fashioned the first large public clocks in the 11^th Century. Progress was slow until the 17^th Century when great inventors applied the principal of the pendulum to timekeeping. Skilled workmen and inventors like Christian Huygens, George Harrison, Thomas Tompion, and George Graham all helped to define a science that produced accurate timekeeping.

Many clocks from the 17^th and 18^th Centuries are now in museums and private collections. However hundreds of thousands of affordable antique clocks were produced in factories during the 19^th century, and these prove most popular today. There were large clockmaking centers in southern Germany, Paris and London. American clockmaking grew up along the Connecticut River Valley, in central Connecticut. There are nearly unlimited styles of clocks and a myriad of sizes and types of movements, but for ease of discussion, we classify all clocks into 6 large groups:

Tallcase or "grandfather" clocks, grew out of the need to hide the weights and protect the pendulum.
Wall hanging clocks eliminated the need for floor or shelf space.
Mantel or shelf clock, by far the largest category, as nearly every 18^th & 19^th Century home had a mantel or wall shelf on which to set a clock.
Novelty and fantasy clocks came about by the inventor's desire to mystify the observer and make him wonder what he was seeing.
Carriage clocks grew out of the need for portability of accurate time keeping; necessary for keeping schedules, and often an alarm to assist in rising on time. French officers used the first carriage timepieces.
Marine timepieces, a specific category to overcome the constant motion of a ship as well as the harsh weather conditions and corrosion potential in the salt air. Many with naval "ship's bell" striking.

Clocks within each of these groups have been made in all industrial countries of the world, and research books on these types and their many subgroups would fill a small library.

Below you will find links to sample images to illustrate each category:

Our auctions specialize in timepieces, music boxes, and scientific instruments, and we cater to international collectors in those fields. We have been serving this crowd with semi-annual catalog auctions since 1979. Our catalogs offer detailed descriptions and pictures as well as a general condition statement for all goods offered. The catalogs are excellent permanent records for your library.

We also have registered domains www.antiqueclockauctions.com and www.eclock.us (eclock auctions).

Go to R.O. Schmitt Fine Arts (eclock) clock auctions page.

on antique clocks at eclock auctions

Tall Clock:

Wall Clock:

Mantel Clock:

Novelty Clock:

Carriage Clock:

Marine Clock: