Grandfather clocks can lend a stately elegance to any room. While
these clocks are certainly designed to keep accurate time, the beautiful
craftsmanship associated with them also makes them significant pieces of
furniture.
Grandfather clocks are freestanding floor clocks that typically stand
about 7 feet tall, with their clock faces about 5 feet high. A
grandfather clock has a tall case enclosing its pendulum and weights,
and is also known as a tall case clock or a longcase clock. The
center section, or trunk, of the clock case has an access door to allow
for pendulum and weight adjustment. The long case protects the
long-running 8-day movement, pendulum, weights and pulleys from dust
and from disturbances by children or pets.
Longcase clocks were invented in 1658, around the same time as the
pendulum, by an English clockmaker named William Clement. The
first clocks had short pendulums and verge escapements and were housed
in narrow cabinets. When the more accurate anchor escapement
replaced the verge escapement, the cases became wider to accommodate
the pendulum. The dials also increased in size, and a diameter
of 12 inches was common by the beginning of the 18th century.
These clocks became known in America as Grandfather Clocks after
Henry Clay Work wrote the song
My Grandfather's Clock in 1876. (For a livelier
rendering of My Grandfather's Clock, visit the
Antique Grandfather Clocks website.)
Many people appreciate the elegant appearance, the restful tick-tock,
and the mellow chimes of a grandfather clock, as well as
the dignified ambience it brings to a room.
Some of the early longcase clocks were made of solid oak, covered with
walnut veneers. Decorative floral marquetry was added toward the
end of the 17th century, first as small inset panels and later as designs
that covered the entire clock case surface. Between the middle
of the 18th century through the entire 19th century, mahogany was widely
used for longcase clock cases. More recently, many grandfather clock
cases have been constructed from maple and cherry woods. The tops of
these longcases often feature decorative pediments and finials.
Because grandfather clocks are designed to back up against a wall, their
wooden backs are usually unfinished.
A grandfather clock requires special care to keep it in tip-top
condition. Its exterior case should be dusted and cleaned regularly,
but the internal cleaning and repair of a grandfather clock are best left
to specialists. In addition, while some clocks are kept purely for
decorative purposes and are not kept wound, it's a good idea to run them
every once in a while to keep rust at bay. Finally, any time a
grandfather clock is moved, the pendulum and weights should be removed
for transport.
Boy whose clock was mistaken for bomb to move to Qatar
The Texas high school student whose homemade clock was confused for a bomb says his family has decided to move to Qatar. CBSN's Ben Tracy discusses the planned move.
CBS News. Friday, 09 Apr 2021 14:01:11 -0400.
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