A French mantel clock, exhibiting aesthetic charm, leaves the owner yearning for additional historical insights.
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In the summer of 2017, a trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, led me on an unexpected adventure in antique clock shopping. Among the various shops, I stumbled upon a unique find – a time and strike clock from the turn of the 20th Century, of French origin.
This exquisitely crafted clock, standing at 11 inches high by 8 1/4 inches wide by 5 1/4 inches deep, is jet black, either slate or Belgian marble with lighter reddish-brown rectangular accents and serpentine scrolling. The movement, unsigned, houses an exquisitely crafted French time and strike mechanism with a pleasant sounding but subdued coiled gong.
The only markings on this one-of-a-kind piece are the word "Brocot" on the speed adjustment gear and Marque Deposee on the back plate, hinting at its rich history. The Brocot speed adjustment, patented by Louis-Gabriel Brocot in the 19th century, is a significant innovation in the regulation of French pendulum clocks.
Louis-Gabriel Brocot, a French clockmaker and mechanic active in the mid-1800s, designed this adjustment to enable fine-tuning of clock timing without stopping the clock or removing the pendulum. The mechanism uses an adjustable nut or screw on the pendulum rod that raises or lowers the bob, thereby changing the pendulum’s period and the rate of the clock. This allowed clockmakers and users to compensate for temperature changes, mechanical wear, or initial calibration errors, enhancing reliability and precision.
The Brocot system influenced many French clocks and was widely adopted for its ease and precision, marking a key development in the standardization and improvement of mechanical timekeepers.
Despite the loose click screw, not engaging the ratchet, a simple adjustment resolved the issue, allowing the clock to function as it should. This acquisition added a special touch to my collection, as it is the only French clock I own.
For those interested in antique clock shopping, my experience is shared in more detail in another blog post. The post includes photos of the antique clocks and a link to another blog post about clocks I discovered during summer travels in 2016. However, I should clarify that I did not make any purchases during this particular trip.
If you're curious about antique clock shopping online, you might find my post on buying a clock on Craigslist, Kijiji, Gumtree, and so on, enlightening. It details my experiences and the items I acquired.
Vintage clocks have always had a significant place in my lifestyle, and this discovery in Vancouver Island added a unique, French piece to my collection. Whether it's fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, or even relationships, vintage clocks seem to complement various aspects of life.
My personal experience with antique clock shopping has expanded beyond the physical stores, as I've also delved into shopping online. One such post on my blog shares my experience buying a clock on popular online platforms like Craigslist, Kijiji, and Gumtree.
While antique clock shopping may not be directly related to travel, each vintage clock I find transports me to different eras and places, making it an exciting part of my journeys. Next, I plan to explore antique shops during my upcoming trips to broaden my vintage clock collection.
In the process of building relationships with fellow antique lovers, discussing and acquiring vintage clocks has become a shared interest, bringing people together from different walks of life, cultures, and regions – perhaps even from travels abroad.
