400-day clock – Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks

The clock is one of man’s greatest achievements. The development of instruments to tell time is the unwavering toil of brilliant minds from many disciplines who, for over 800 years, worked tirelessly to create, innovate, and improve methods for telling the time.

Horology is not only the study of time but the synergy of art, joinery, fashion, design, décor, physics, engineering, metallurgy, and mathematics. Indeed, the study of the mechanical clock is a microcosm of our society.

Banjo clock Ca. 1940 — _{Banjo clock Ca. 1840}

While not claiming to be an exhaustive guide, the following dates are noteworthy in the history of the clock and compiled from various sources. The challenges in pinpointing precise dates arise from disparities among sources.

Kundo standard size 400 day clock — _{Kundo standard size 400-day clock}

Advancements in horology preceding the advent of the mechanical clock are omitted. (Clepsydra) and sundial clocks from the Middle Ages, as well as ancient Chinese astronomical clocks, warrant a separate discussion and are not encompassed in this account.

Important Dates in Horological Development

Around 1300 – The first mechanical verge clock in Europe
1364 – Astronomical clock idea by Giovanni de Dondi, Italy
1386 – Tower (turret) clock at Salisbury Cathedral, England
Around 1400 – Fusee power was invented by Jacobs, Czechoslovakia
Around 1450 – A table clock with spring and fusee by Phillip the Good of Burgundy, France
Around 1500 – The mainspring was invented in Germany
Around 1510 – The watch was invented by Peter Henlein, Germany
Around 1560 – A spring-driven portable clock, in Germany
Around 1570 – The oldest known clock with a second hand, Orpheus clock, Germany
Around 1620 – The production of lantern clocks in Britain increased
1637 – Galileo conceives pendulum control for swinging temple lamp, Italy
Around 1650 – The first tower clock in America
1656 – Huygens devises pendulum clock, Holland
1657 – Verge and foliot replaced by pendulum control, Huygens, Holland
1658 – Fromanteel adapts long-case prototype from lantern clock, England
1660 – Hooke conceives balance wheel, England
Around 1675 – Richard Towneley invented dead-beat escapement, in England
1675 – Huygens invents the balance wheel with spiral spring, Holland
Around 1675 – Hooke and Clement collaborated to invent recoil escapement and crutch, in England
1676 – Barlow develops rack striking, England
1680 -1700 – Notable horologists of this era were Arnold, Earnshaw, East, Graham, Knibb, Compion, and Windmills of England; Berthoud, Breguet, and LeRoy of France
1701 – St Sulpice seminary tower clock (imported from France), Montreal, Canada
1713 – Harrison invents marine chronometer, in England. For more see Dava Sobel’s, Longitude, Harrison’s struggle against the establishment to get recognition for his chronometer.
Around 1715 – The break-arch dial introduced
1715 – Graham perfects deadbeat escapement, regarded as the “father” of the dead-beat escapement
1717 – First tower clock in America, Benjamin Bagnall, Boston
1726 – Graham invents Mercurial pendulum (temperature compensating pendulum), in England
1726 – Thomas Bennett makes wall clock, 8-day brass, weight-driven, in America
1736 – Harrison’s marine chronometer tested at sea (accurately ascertaining longitude), in England
1770 – White dials appear in English longcase clocks
1776 – Pouzait invents independent seconds train for the watch, Switzerland
1790 – Vienna regulator-style case emerges in Austria
1790 – American woodworks clocks begin to appear
1802 – Willard patents banjo timepiece, America
1806 – Terry introduces the Pillar and Scroll clock, America
1809 – Martin Cheney sets up a clock-making shop in Montreal, Canada
1810 – Breguet introduces Carriage clock (Pendule De Voyage), France
1818 – Heman Clark makes wrought brass movement for Pillar and Scroll case, America
1825 – Rolled brass production begins in America
1836 – Tempered brass mainsprings introduced in America
1837 – Noble Jerome’s 30-hour brass movement patent approved, America
1840 – American brass movements in mass production
1842 – Chauncey Jerome exports American brass movement clocks to England
1845 – Woodworks movement production ends, America
1847 – Tempered steel mainsprings begin to be manufactured in America
1850 – Lord Grimthorpe designs the Westminster tower clock made by Dent, England
Around 1850 – Brocot (pin-wheel) escapement and pendulum suspension were introduced, France
Around 1850 – American mass production of watches begins. The Waltham Watch Company leads the charge
1860 – Junghans technicians were sent to America to study American mass production techniques, Germany
1870 – Decline in English long-case clocks
1874 – Mantel and wall clock mass production begins in Whitby, Canada
1900 – American clock production peaks; makers are Ansonia, Ingraham, Gilbert, Howard, New Haven, Seth Thomas, Waterbury, and Welch
1904 – Arthur Pequegnat begins clock production in Berlin, Canada
1906 – The Eureka electric clock was introduced, America
1908 – Big Ben alarm clock enters production, in America; Baby Ben follows in 1910
Around 1910 – The torsion pendulum clock (400-day) introduced, in Germany
1920-40 – General decline in American mechanical clock production, increase in electric clock production
1927 – The quartz clock is invented but not in widespread use until the 1970s
1928 – Atmos clock by Jaeger LeCoultre – perpetual motion clock powered by temperature and atmospheric pressure changes
1941 – Arthur Pequegnat ceases production, Kitchener Canada
Around 1960-70 – End of mass-produced mechanical clocks, America (cheaper Japanese, Korean & Chinese mechanical clocks flooded North America)
Present day – Movement and clockmakers remain but become a fringe market; Howard Miller (Ridgeway), Keininger, Hermle, Chelsea, Jaeger LeCoultre among others

These milestones highlight our constant quest for accurate timekeeping and showcase the human spirit’s ingenuity.

As we look back, the ticking of the clock is more than just tracking time; it symbolizes our ongoing journey to understand the essence of time. Horology serves as a testament to our commitment to precision and symbolizes our continuous efforts to enhance the quality of our lives.

(Please share any errors or omissions)

^{If you have a favorite clock in your collection that has earned a special place in your heart, we invite you to share its unique story with our readers. Whether it’s a vintage masterpiece or a modern marvel, we want to unravel the essence of what makes your clock truly exceptional. Provide me with a history of the clock and/or some interesting details that I could include in a blog article. The only identifier will be the first and last letters of your name and your country location.}

I recently received a letter from D in South Africa, requesting assistance in gathering information about a particularly cherished clock that has been a part of his family for many years. D has graciously given consent for me to feature and profile this special family clock on my blog.

D writes

I hope you don’t mind me reaching out to you. My family has an Empire-style anniversary clock that I believe is rare and I am struggling to find any information, relating to its age, maker, or “story”.

It has been such a part of our family and I regret not exploring the history while family members were still able to shed some light on its origin…
A local clock expert has suggested it was possibly made in the early 1900s in Germany…I contacted Martin Haller who confirmed it was not made by them.

Empire anniversary clock pie crust dial face — _{Dial face}

Empire anniversary clock, pendulum design — _{Unique pendulum}

I believe the clock was imported to South Africa by J Muller (a jeweler)who was originally from the Black Forest in Germany and their family became well-known optometrists here in Cape Town. I think they gifted it to my great-grandparents before the First World War.
If you perhaps have any information about the clock I would be most grateful.
Many thanks, D

Empire anniversary clock back plate — _Backplate

I was intrigued by D’s clock and decided to do a little digging

My reply

Hi, and thanks for your email, D. First of all, it is a fascinating clock and, in my view, quite rare. Time is the enemy of memories and once the memories are lost, they are lost forever. I know very little of the history of most of the clocks in my collection, unfortunately, but it is nice to learn that your clock has been in your family for such a long time. At least you can trace most of its history.

The photo of the face is a bit blurry but the names on the dial face of a shelf clock such as yours are usually the retailer or a dedication to an individual. I assume there is no maker’s stamp on the movement.

A Haller clock would have been an excellent guess, but I think not.

The plate image of your clock can be found in the Horolovar manual. The Horolovar manual is an indispensable resource for anyone working on, or collecting torsion clocks.

I have attached two photos from the Horolovar manual, a guide to the repair of 400-day and similar torsion clocks to aid in identifying your clock. Yours has Jahresuhrenfabrik c1902 plate 1471 (see photo). Angemeldet means declared; a “declared patent”.

Patent Angemeldet, image of clock plate for a torsion clock — _{The backplate of the anniversary clock}

I discovered that the clock was designed by Andreas Huber.

_{Andreas Huber twin-loop temperature compensating pendulum}

The patent for the movement is dated 1902. Your clock was likely made shortly after that date. While the clock case radiates regal elegance, it is the pendulum that is its most intriguing feature. The pendulum is unique because it is twin-loop temperature-compensating to maintain accuracy throughout its running cycle. A type not found in many anniversary clocks.

Two companies purchased movements from Andreas Huber, Badische Uhrenfabrik, and the more widely known Kienzle, both of Germany. It is also quite possible that Huber sold to other companies such as Schatz or Gustav Becker, but I have found nothing to confirm that.

You have a unique clock and, who knows, a reader somewhere in the world might provide more information so that we can both learn more about this fascinating clock.

Tag: 400-day clock

Milestones in Horology

PROFILE MY CLOCK: Empire-style anniversary clock from South Africa

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