Clocks · Regulator
Regulator wall clock by Reid & Co, c. 1800
- Maker / attribution
- Reid & Co (maker)
- Date
- c. 1800
- Historical period
- Precision & Scientific Horology (1750 – 1850)
- Country of origin
- Scotland
- Object type
- Regulator
- Materials / technique
- mahogany
- Dimensions
- Height 4 ft 7 in (140 cm)
- Stock no.
- Product 257
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, P A Oxley (product 257)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Regulator Wall Clock by Reid & Co - Edinburgh (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by P A Oxley (dealer), Wiltshire (stock number Product 257), this is a regulator by Reid & Co, made in Scotland, dated c. 1800. The Atlas places it in the Precision & Scientific Horology period (1750 – 1850) of its Clocks collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: mahogany. Recorded dimensions: Height 4 ft 7 in (140 cm). The record is illustrated with 3 photographs.
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
Dealer description — P A Oxley
A very rare early 19th century Regulator Wall Clock by this eminent maker. The 8 day duration single train weight driven movement with semi-deadbeat escapement, substantial plates, maintaining power and four large plate pillars. The 14" diameter silvered brass dial with Roman chapters, matching blued steel hands and large seconds dial. The makers name of Reid & Co Edinburgh engraved to the centre. The mahogany case of typical Drumhead form but with a waisted teardrop design to the main trunk. The base with a concave moulding. The glazed trunk door enclosing the brass weight and a high quality Ludlum type double bobbed wood rod pendulum. This design of pendulum was used by John Holmes of London and enabled the user to make very fine adjustments and in turn give impoved timekeeping. Note: Thomas Reid is listed as an eminent maker and was apprenticed to James Cowan on 9th October 1762. For 11 years he lived in London where he appears to have worked for and observed the work of several Master Clockmakers. In 1788 he designed and built the first clock for the spire of St Andrews Parish Church, George Street, Edinburgh. In 1806 he welcomed William Auld into his business which was the beginning of a long partnership. They specialised in unusual Regulators including Astronomical and long duration. Maker Reid & Co of Edinburgh
Historical context
Precision & Scientific Horology (1750 – 1850)
Harrison solves longitude; Mudge invents the lever; Breguet's Paris workshop defines the modern watch.
The age of the deadbeat escapement, compensated pendulums and observatory regulators. Domestic clocks spread through the middle classes: English longcase and bracket clocks, French gilt-bronze mantel clocks, Viennese Biedermeier wall clocks, Black Forest painted-shield clocks, and the first American shelf clocks.
Read the period in the timelineMore clocks from this periodEarlier: Early Modern Horology
Atlas type guide
Regulators, wall and Vienna clocks
A regulator is a precision pendulum clock used as a time standard in observatories, workshops and railway offices. Typical features are a deadbeat or Graham escapement, a temperature-compensated pendulum (mercury jar, gridiron or later invar), maintaining power and a regulator dial that separates hours, minutes and seconds. George Graham's deadbeat escapement (c. 1715) and his mercury pendulum, together with Harrison's gridiron, set the pattern for two centuries.
Wall clocks span a much wider range: the elegant Viennese Laterndluhr and Dachluhr of the Biedermeier period, the Dutch stoelklok and staartklok, English 'dial' clocks used in schools, offices and railway stations, and mass-produced spring and weight wall clocks from Germany (Gustav Becker, Junghans, Kienzle) and America.
What to look for
- Deadbeat escapement and compensated pendulum (gridiron rods, mercury jar or wood rod).
- A regulator dial with a large central minute hand and separate hour and seconds dials.
- Vienna regulators: glazed cases, slender pendulum, small weights, enamel two-piece dials.
- German factory trademarks stamped on the backplate (e.g. Gustav Becker anchor and crown, Junghans star).
Dating clues
- Graham-type deadbeat regulators: from c. 1720.
- Viennese Laterndluhr: c. 1800–1850.
- German factory 'Vienna-style' regulators: c. 1870–1930; Gustav Becker serial numbers allow close dating.
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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