Clocks · Lantern clock
Lantern clock by Geuroux, France, mid 17th century
- Maker / attribution
- Geuroux (maker)
- Date
- mid 17th century
- Historical period
- Early Modern Horology (1600 – 1750)
- Country of origin
- France
- Place
- Paris
- Object type
- Lantern clock
- Materials / technique
- Brass and iron
- Holding institution
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London
- Accession / object no.
- M.48-1995
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Record summary
Held and catalogued by Victoria and Albert Museum, London (object number M.48-1995), this is a lantern clock by Geuroux, made in Paris, France, dated mid 17th century. The Atlas places it in the Early Modern Horology period (1600 – 1750) of its Clocks collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: Brass and iron. The record is illustrated with 1 photograph.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Summary — Victoria and Albert Museum
Wall-mounted weight-driven chamber clocks were relatively common in the Low Countries from the early 16th century. Designed to hang on a hook or stand on a bracket high up on the wall, the hourly striking on the large bell could be heard throughout the home. This example was made in Paris.
Physical description — Victoria and Albert Museum
This wall clock has a square bottom and top plates in the form of pierced foliate strapwork featuring tulip flowers and leaves. It is surmounted by a large bell. The dial has a prominent chapter ring with large Roman numerals; a single hand to register the hours and another to register the minutes. The small dial in the middle of the main dial can be turned to set the alarm. The turned baluster finials are matched by finials either side of the top plate and surmounting the four brackets which hold the bell in place.
Historical context — Victoria and Albert Museum
Designed to hang on a hook or stand on a bracket high up on the wall, this clock struck the hours on the large bell mounted at the top of the clock which could be heard all over the house.
Inscriptions & marks
Geuroux AParis
Provenance
The clock was one of two clocks bequeathed by Estella Canziani; amongst thirteen objects including jewellery and silver. Canziani was an artist friend of Dr Hildburgh, a leading benefactor of the V&A.
Historical context
Early Modern Horology (1600 – 1750)
Huygens' pendulum and balance spring transform accuracy; English makers develop the anchor and deadbeat escapements.
Huygens's pendulum (1656–57) improved clock accuracy from about a quarter of an hour to under a minute a day. The anchor escapement (c. 1670) and the long seconds pendulum created the longcase clock; London makers such as Fromanteel, Knibb, Tompion and Quare led European clockmaking, and French makers created the Boulle pendule.
Read the period in the timelineMore clocks from this periodEarlier: Renaissance Horology
Atlas type guide
Lantern, chamber and Gothic clocks
Domestic weight-driven clocks were made in southern Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Flanders from the fifteenth century. These 'Gothic' or chamber clocks have an open iron frame with corner posts, a verge escapement controlled by a foliot or balance wheel, and often an alarm or hour striking on a bell mounted above.
In England the lantern clock appeared around 1600: a brass posted-frame clock with a bell on top under decorative frets, hung on a hook or set on a wall bracket. After about 1658 many were converted to pendulum control, so originality of the escapement is a key question for any surviving example.
What to look for
- Iron (continental) or brass (English) posted frames with turned corner pillars and finials.
- A single hour hand — minute hands are rare before the pendulum era.
- Evidence of conversion: plugged holes, replaced escapement wheels or later pendulums.
- Fret designs and engraving on the dial centre, which help date English lantern clocks.
Dating clues
- Continental Gothic chamber clocks: c. 1450–1650.
- English lantern clocks: c. 1600–1720, with provincial examples later.
- Short 'bob' pendulum conversions after 1658; long pendulums with anchor escapement after c. 1670.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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