Mantel Clocks
Posted on 26. Jun, 2009 by Jerry Westfield in Arts and Entertainment
When you are looking for lovely clocks that are narrow enough to be lovingly placed over your fireplace, you’ll find that mantel clocks are meant for just this purpose. These clocks come decorated with lovely figures and you’ll quickly realize that these clocks are created with gorgeous materials like porcelain, wood and ormolu.
The earliest form of these clocks originated in France sometime in the middle of the 18th century. Comparable in size to other chamber clocks, they can be distinguished easily from each other. A chamber clock has a carrying handle, while the mantel clock doesn’t have one.
Sometime during the turn of the 19th century, Simon Willard made a famous design of his own. A notable clock maker, Willard patented a completely revolutionary mantel clock that changed future designs forever. This was the Simon Willard Clock and he built his company with the support of his family (particularly his brothers who were also adept clockmakers in Boston, Massachusetts).
Though they may have similarities to wall clocks apart from their size, they actually have totally different mechanisms. The movements of mantel clocks are basically supported by their seat board, while the wall clocks have their movements attached to the backboard.
Sometime during the 1790s, Simon Willard was still selling standard shelf clocks. The clocks he sold looked very much like the tall standard clocks, except for the fact that it looked like it had no body. Their base and hood were associated together to make a whole. This early design also consisted of a calendar dial and a 2nd hand (which was somewhat uncommon at that time).
Basically weight driven, a lot of models even had an extended base so as to help with the weight counterpoint so that they would achieve a one-week running period. They also featured pinwheel escapements as well as the rack and snail for strike mechanisms. The design also featured a hole in the clock face at the position of the 12th hour so that it wouldn’t be necessary to open up the case just to adjust the pendulum length.
When they first come out, mantel clocks were mostly left in the shade by Eli Terry Clocks, which were the big thing at the time. These days, however, the Simon Willard Clocks are considered to be American marvels of the clockmaker’s art. Museums and antique dealers alike look for samples for their collection and they can run from fifty thousand dollars to two hundred fifty thousand dollars in price if they are in mint condition. This impressive range can tell you how desired they are.
Seiko Clocks and Rhythm Small World Clocks are some of the companies that produce modern designs of the mantel clock. Manufactured with metal and other technological advancements, the designs are combined with old-school materials to give it more authenticity. They come powered with standard batteries that they are able to play around 15 variations of melodies such as Whittington and Westminster tunes. Apart from the volume controls, they also feature light sensors that can detect darkness (or during nighttime) so that the clock knows when to turn off the sounds automatically.
When you are looking for something that will look great in your home as well as symbolize America’s creativity, look for a mantel clock; you won’t regret it!
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