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Clocks · Skeleton clock

Skeleton clock with passing strike

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
c. 1860
Country of origin
Unrecorded in source
Object type
Skeleton clock
Dimensions
Height 44 cm
Stock no.
Product 3298
Credit line
Dealer listing, The Antique Clock Company (product 3298)
Catalogue title (original)
EXQUISITE SKELETON CLOCK WITH PASSING STRIKE (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by The Antique Clock Company (dealer), Dorset (stock number Product 3298), this is a skeleton clock, dated c. 1860. The Atlas places it in the Industrial Revolution period (1850 – 1900) of its Clocks collection. Recorded dimensions: Height 44 cm. The record is illustrated with 2 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 — The Antique Clock Company

Elevate your collection with this elegant mid-Victorian skeleton clock, a stunning example of 19th-century craftsmanship. Its substantial cut brass plates, crafted in a graceful Cathedral style, beautifully showcase the intricate inner workings of the clock. Complementing this design is a silvered engraved chapter ring, adding a touch of refinement and timeless beauty. This skeleton clock features a passing strike mechanism, sounding a bell on the hour with a clear and resonant tone. It is a functional and aesthetically pleasing centrepiece, offering a harmonious blend of practicality and artistry. Adding to its allure, the clock rests on its original oval polished ebonised wooden base, protected by its original glass dome, ensuring both preservation and a visually striking display. This clock is a testament to Victorian innovation, where functionality met artistic expression. This skeleton clock is not just a timekeeper; it’s a work of art and a conversation piece, ideal for collectors and admirers of Victorian-era ingenuity. Add this exceptional piece to your collection today. Height: 17 ½” or 44 cm

Provenance

Private collection, UK

Historical context

Industrial Revolution (1850 – 1900)

American interchangeable-parts manufacture; railroad time standards; Swiss and German factory systems.

Factory production transformed the clock into an everyday object. American makers (Seth Thomas, Ansonia, Waterbury) and German factories (Junghans, Gustav Becker, Lenzkirch) sold millions of shelf, wall and alarm clocks worldwide; France produced standardised Paris movements and carriage clocks; electric time distribution began.

Read the period in the timelineMore clocks from this periodEarlier: Precision & Scientific Horology

Atlas type guide

Skeleton clocks

A skeleton clock displays its movement: the plates are pierced to a minimum so that wheels, escapement and fusee can be seen, usually under a glass dome. French makers produced fine skeleton clocks in the late eighteenth century; in Victorian England they became popular showpieces, with frames in the shapes of cathedrals and famous buildings.

What to look for

  • Pierced brass plates in scroll or architectural shapes.
  • A glass dome and wooden or marble base.
  • Fusee movements and sometimes passing strike on a bell.

Dating clues

  • French skeleton clocks: c. 1780–1830.
  • English cathedral-style skeleton clocks: c. 1840–1890.

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.

Read next:FuseeAnchor (recoil) escapement

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