Quantifying time has been a preoccupation of mankind's since
the
beginning of... time. Four thousand years ago, the Chinese and
the
Egyptians told time by the shadow cast by the sun on a
surrounding
dial. Then came the water clock and, several centuries later, the
hourglass. The latter timekeeping device did not actually
indicate
the time of day, but rather served to measure the passage of
time.
The first recorded examples of the mechanical clock: were
found in
the late 13th century. Invented by King Alphonso of Castile and
Leon
(two small Spanish kingdoms), the new instrument signaled a
leap in
the evolution of clockwork. It was a huge, bulky device with
gearwheels set in motion by a descending weight. Its popularity
was
swift, and the sound of its chimes soon invaded all of Europe's
major city centers. Alas, equipped with a single hand, it proved
terribly inaccurate, often ending each day nearly one full hour
ahead or behind. More than three centuries passed before the
first
minute hand appeared. Spurred by Galileo's findings on
pendulum
motion, Dutch physicist and astronomer Christian Huygens
pioneered
the use of the swinging device in clocks (1657) and gave the
world
the first accurate timekeeping mechanism.
The pendulum clock sparked a huge growth in clockmaking. By
the end
of the 17th century, clockmakers were manufacturing the so-
called
grandfather clocks. These tall cabinets were originally
designed to
hide the pendulums that had become too awkwardly heavy for
wall-
mounted clocks, but they soon became a very popular
ornamental item.
Grandfather clocks are generally 75 to 89 inches tall (190 to
226
cm). Your model is based on the clocks crafted in London.
England,
in 1889. Its classic construction features a water-etched dial
bearing Roman numerals, as well as a glass door and a lovely
brass
pendulum. Imagine how impressive your grandfather clock will
look in
your home!
