george smith, leamington c1866

[bruce linde]

back in this thread ( https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/bieder...elsner-huygens-silk-thread-suspension.183338/ ) i mentioned that i was in the process of acquiring a clock that was 'the opposite' of that one. here it is.

i was thinking 'opposite' because:

- very delicate time only movement vs. a heavy time/strike movement
- very clean and elegant case design vs. more massive heavily carved case (30" t vs. 81.5" t)
- light silk thread suspension and pendulum vs. one jar mercury pendulum (although i had the guy keep the mercury and will fill it with lead shot)

1866 engraved in the sides, english striking regulator, engraved and silvered 12" dial, deadbeat escapement w/ maintaining power, single jar mercury pendulum, bell strike.

should arrive in the next few weeks.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

Mr Smith does not appear in my book listing Warwick and Leamington makers, but there is a John Smith listed in Leamington in my Central England book. There he has a single date of 1874.

I think 1866 would be quite an early example of screwed pillars though there are always exceptions.

 

[WIngraham]

FInally! That is an amazing clock, I wonder how much it weighs? Make sure you use a stud, lol. It has a great look and quality of course. Do you have a pic of the pendulum?

Loomes lists a G. Smith Leamington, 1860-1868.

Will

 

[novicetimekeeper]

FInally! That is an amazing clock, I wonder how much it weighs? Make sure you use a stud, lol. It has a great look and quality of course. Do you have a pic of the pendulum?

Loomes lists a G. Smith Leamington, 1860-1868.

Will

Sorry, brain fog, don't know why I went for J, Central England just has 86-87. I suggest searching pigot's directories for the second half of the 19th C to get an expanded date range.

 

[bruce linde]

photos of the pendulum and vial... which will get filled with lead shot. btw... there appears to be a shortage of ammunition and lead shot due to supply chain issues. i found this stuff in mesh-bag-enclosed scuba weights. i like how it's kind of flattened so the pieces pack more tightly.

 

[Snorty]

That is a stunning clock Bruce. The carving is lovely.

 

[RAK]

Am I alone here or are we all starting to think "Gee, I actually like Bruce's clock collection better than my own"?

Nice addition Bruce!

Bob

 

[bruce linde]

Am I alone here or are we all starting to think "Gee, I actually like Bruce's clock collection better than my own"? Nice addition Bruce! Bob

wait until you see the remaining new one…. i’ve only posted two of the three arriving (hopefully) by mid-month….

 

[bruce linde]

wait until you see the remaining new one…. i’ve only posted two of the three arriving (hopefully) by mid-month….

here’s #3: https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/howard-davis-no-1-c1849.184281/

 

[rfh11]

back in this thread ( https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/bieder...elsner-huygens-silk-thread-suspension.183338/ ) i mentioned that i was in the process of acquiring a clock that was 'the opposite' of that one. here it is.

i was thinking 'opposite' because:

- very delicate time only movement vs. a heavy time/strike movement
- very clean and elegant case design vs. more massive heavily carved case (30" t vs. 81.5" t)
- light silk thread suspension and pendulum vs. one jar mercury pendulum (although i had the guy keep the mercury and will fill it with lead shot)

1866 engraved in the sides, english striking regulator, engraved and silvered 12" dial, deadbeat escapement w/ maintaining power, single jar mercury pendulum, bell strike.

should arrive in the next few weeks.

View attachment 682889 View attachment 682891 View attachment 682892 View attachment 682893 View attachment 682894 View attachment 682895 View attachment 682896 View attachment 682897 View attachment 682898 View attachment 682899 View attachment 682900

I am very glad to see this clock went to someone that appreciates it. I tried to purchase the clock about one year ago based on the beautiful case and my initials "RH" carved in the side. Congratulations. Enjoy.

 

[S_Owsley]

FInally! That is an amazing clock, I wonder how much it weighs? Make sure you use a stud, lol. It has a great look and quality of course. Do you have a pic of the pendulum?

Loomes lists a G. Smith Leamington, 1860-1868.

Will

Knowing Bruce, I'm sure he will find a stud and if there isn't one, he will put one where it needs to be! And I will help him if he can't do it.

 

[bruce linde]

ok, so what started as OCD has turned into the rockford files... i believe i have identified the original RH and owner of the clock.

jim dyson (Chelsea Clock Museum - Home) suggested it might have been the Regent Hotel in leamington spa / warwickshire and that i reach out to them.

i did some googling and ended up sending emails to a number of leamington groups and societies. i heard back from a woman at the leamington historical society who thought RH probably wasn't the hotel and more likely robert hobson. hobson built an amazing home in 1860 called 'beauchamp hall', known (in part) for 'heavy wood carving throughout'. the home became the kingsley school for girls in the early 20th century (more on this in a second).

hobson moved into the home in 1864, and died in 1867. loomes (as stated above) has 'g. smith, leamington' working from 1860-1868. the dates seem to line up.

so i fire off an email to the kingsley school asking if they have any archival photos that might show the clock in situ, or photos of wood carvings throughout the building that might match.... and only as i'm about to close the browser window showing their website do i notice the background photo on the home page... see below (doh!). we'll see what they say, but i think we have lift-off.

 

[Ralph]

photos of the pendulum and vial... which will get filled with lead shot. btw..

Bruces,

Here's the way I faked up a pendulum for a friend of mine a number of years ago. I used aluminum tubing, melted lead filled. I made caps for the tubing with a rounded edge, to simulate the meniscus of the mercury.

BTW, when you go to a less dense material to fill the jar, you will have to lengthen the pendulum, probably beyond what's available in the adjustment.

Ralph

 

[bruce linde]

nice.... and yes, i lengthened the suspension spring on mine... works great.

 

[bruce linde]

more corroboration....

 

[zedric]

That seems conclusive then - does your clock have the same initials and date on both sides? You only show the one side in the photos...

 

[bruce linde]

same on both sides. actually in the middle of cleaning the movement now... it's a beefy well-made thing. check the twin maintaining power setup on the time-side great wheel.

 

[bruce linde]

more photos from kingsley school of the fireplace surround.... pretty obvious that she got a fireplace surround while he got a clock.

apparently the school historian is now interested and will be researching archived legal documents of hobson's for any other clues.... ain't that cool?