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Thread: Handmade pocket watch, circa 1736

  1. #1
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    Handmade pocket watch, circa 1736

    If you saw my post in the off-topic forum, I got to see the workings of the clock in the tower at Fort Christian. When the clock guy (clocksmith?) found out I was building a wooden clock and had some interest in clocks, he showed me his pocket watch. It is circa 1736. Look at the fretwork on that thing. That's why I am posting here. This was made way before Dremel tools. Sorry, I was shooting with a 1.4 lens and should have stopped down for more depth of field. Also my hands were shaking an so were his. I was amazed when he took it out of his pocket in the park as we sat on a park bench to show it to me.

    IMG_1652.JPGIMG_1653.jpgIMG_1654.jpgIMG_1655.jpg

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    Wow that is incredible. Is it his daily carry, or did he just have it to show you?

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    I am going to assume that he brought it to show because he was set up to meet some very high end antique collectors and historians, as well as local dignitaries. He fixed the clocks at the forts in St. Thomas and St. Croix, which was a big deal locally, so he got the red carpet treatment. It's a heck of a conversation starter.

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    It's a heck of a conversation starter.
    It could also be a show stopper.

    A beautiful piece, thanks for sharing.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  5. #5
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    Beautiful!
    Made in a time when running into a George Wilson type was not as rare.
    Please help support the Creek.


    "It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."
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    Just to be clear....nothing on this watch is made of wood....correct?
    This is a typical English fusee style watch in my opinion and yes they were made in the 1600's, 1700's and 1800's. Mine are silver cased and hallmarked Ca.1790. They are indeed beautifully designed, and sometimes the box (the inner case on a pair case watch) and case are also beautiful. If you want to see more go to the NAWCC site and peruse their Watch and Clock Bulletins. There is a decent market on eBay for good quality ones that are in working order and certain maker names can command very high prices.
    If you are deeply interested in clocks and watches I would invite you to join the NAWCC, as timepieces are a fascinating hobby.
    Enrico

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    Believe it or not, those elaborate piercings were SAWN BY CHILDREN. There are so many of those circular pierced covers floating around, you can still buy them for a reasonable sum of money. A World Famous maker of miniatures who is a friend of mine, uses those to make the miniature pan covers for 18th. C. style bed warmers: The type with the round pan where you put the coals, and the long (abt. 3' long) turned mahogany handle.

    It seems impossible that children could be trained to do work like this, but in those days, it was work or starve. Sometimes work or we'll kill your whole family. They had the keen eyesight and steady hands to do that level of work. Our kids often can't put Tinker Toys together correctly. I guess we don't beat them enough. But, that is really the sad truth about life back then. So, don't go longing for the "Good old days". IT AIN'T THERE!

    Do you guys recall that fantastic hoard of very ancient gold and red inset jeweled belt buckles, helmets, sword fittings, etc.,that were accidentally found in a farmer's field several years ago in England? Hundreds of chevron and other shaped red stones inset ACCURATELY into gold settings? They think those stones were ground and fitted by children, because only they had the fingers small enough to do the work that small. I might disagree as these big old fingers have done some mighty teeny work, but that's what the archeologists think.

    Things were pretty brutal for children many years ago. The fruits of their near slave labor can be very impressive. Charles Dickens had to go to work in a shoe polish factory at 12 years of age. It left him with a life long way of describing 19th. C. inhumanity in his works.

    A study a decade or 2 ago showed that the brains of craftsmen had many more tiny little nerve "roots" in their brains than someone like a salesman. They think we are BORN with all these extra nerve systems. If we get into some occupation that doesn't use those extra nerve cells, they slowly go away and cannot return. This has been proven by microscopic examination of cadaver's brains under the microscope. I started doing stuff when I was quite young, so I guess I rescued a lot of those extra brain nerves. I drew much better than most high school students when I was in the 4th. grade. Use it or lose it,I suppose.
    Last edited by george wilson; 03-03-2017 at 8:35 AM.

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    Very interesting points, George. I was an artist from very young, winning my first scholastic competition at age 6. The judges wanted to reject my work because they were sure I had cheated and either traced or mom and dad drew it. My teacher vouched for me saying she watched me draw it. Also with woodworking, my grandfather started teaching me things shortly after I started to walk, including sharpening, which is why I have that addiction today.

    I am often told I have many talents and all I tell them is I don't watch TV. I believe it's like muscle tissue- work it, it grows; don't work it, it gets replaced with fat.

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    Very cool Malcolm, thanks for taking the time to share the pics, even if it isn't wooden. Did you get any good views of the face? I'm just curious what the time would look like, assuming it's some fancy hand-painted script.

    My dad's wife has an early 1800's clock with a wooden movement that her grandfather collected long ago. They moved it from the mountains of North Carolina to damp, humid coastal Portsmouth VA and the gears swelled up tight so it won't work except for the dead of winter (sometimes). When she was young, my stepsister was convinced it was haunted because it would suddenly start chiming in January.

    I Imagine if you build a wooden-geared clock in the VI then moved to an inland place it might speed up or get too loose to have the gears in good contact, unless you use a wood that has very little movement (or make some hand-made plywood).

    Thanks again,
    Karl

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    Yes, Karl, the wood clock is more for fun. I am anticipating it is going to be horribly poor at telling time. I ordered birch plywood which has been acclimating in my shop.

    I regret that I did not get a picture of the face. It was very dainty with very thin numerals.

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    George, I enjoy your posts immensely. Your knowledge of history is as enjoyable as your hand work.

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    It is a source of amazement that the inventor of the Marine Chronometer, John Harrison, first made a wooden geared clock that stood in his house. It was wood, yet more accurate than any f the metal geared clocks that were more common. Knowing how wood moves,I find that very impressive! And, in a house with no control over humidity, or heat, much of the time. As usual with those who legitimately sought prize money offered by the Admiralty for needed inventions, super accurate chronometers were an example, it proved to take decades before they would finally pay up, if they ever did! Some of these men devoted their best working years to these inventions. Harrison made (I think) three progressively more accurate, and smaller chronometers. If I recall correctly, he wasn't even a clock maker full time by trade! He was also a carpenter. Perhaps this explains the use of wood for his first clock. I am sure it was exceedingly frustrating, dealing with that stubborn bureau !

    Another loyal Englishman invented a system of reporting gun ranges to other ships. It was used a lot in WWI. Have you noticed those large "clocks" perched high up on the tippy top of British battle ships of the period? He battled the Admiralty for MANY,MANY years before they finally condescended to give him that which was a small percentage of the prize due to him.

    Michael,I am glad that you enjoy the little stories and history. Of course, being in a museum for 40 years has left me with a lot of tales of old times. And, techniques to use.Not too long ago, there were old time machinists and wood workers who knew a lot of little tricks to get work done with hardly any equipment or money. I am lucky to have known some of them.
    Last edited by george wilson; 03-03-2017 at 9:52 PM.

  13. #13
    George ,glad you mentioned that. Name was Harrison and the story was covered in the book LONGITUDE. If I recall correctly he finally got an appointment with the king who was impressed with his work and disgusted by how unfairly he had been treated and vowed to see "it righted" ....or something close.

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    What a beautiful specimen! I would feel lucky just to see this device up close. What they lacked in manufacturing technology they more than made up for with incredible patience and skill.

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    In the last picture you can just make out the fusee. Around this is a very fine chain, made like a bicycle chain of riveted links. All these chains were handmade by children.
    Quite remarkable the amount of specialty crafts involved in pocket watches.

    Paul

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