Lantern clocks

Brian Loomes Antique Clocks

Brian & Joy Loomes

Pateley Bridge
England

Contact us by email only, please, NOT by phone nor text.

We have a large archive of sold clocks, and almost 150 articles by Brian Loomes on clock collecting, clockmakers and clock care and identification. For more information, please click the links on the right.

Winners of the 2001 BACA award for excellence under the category of specialist clock dealers, judged on 1. quality of service, 2. consistent quality of stock, 3. depth of knowledge.

Antique Clocks

Collecting

Collecting Antique Clocks A Beginner's Guide to Lantern Clocks

Introduction

Lantern clocks are the most difficult type of any clock for a beginner. In fact even many experienced collectors and dealers are frightened off this type of clock, because they are uncertain what is genuine, what is replaced, what is altered, and what is an outright fake. Lantern clocks were the first kind of household clock ever made in Britain. They have therefore been around longer than any other kind of clock, and because of that many quite genuine lantern clocks have undergone changes and alterations over the years, principally to upgrade the clocks into a more 'modern' form of timekeeping control. Some of these 'modernisations' may have been done as much as three hundred years ago. Such modifications are not a problem to the collector, as they are seen as a natural part of the clock's progression through time. A clock can be perfectly genuine, yet still show signs of this kind of alteration. The problem is, how does one recognise such alterations. It may help to break down lantern clocks into periods according to their form of timekeeping mechanism. This is very easy to understand in its basic form, and does not involve becoming a mechanical engineer.

This illustrated article is divided into several sections: click on each link to navigate through it.

Introduction
Balance wheel clocks - made between roughly 1610 to 1660 (and a bit later).
Balance wheel clocks were all converted anciently, almost always to long pendulum (anchor escapement) but just occasionally to short pendulum (verge). Some were re-converted later still back to balance.
'Bob' pendulum lantern clocks - made between about 1660 and 1680, and sometimes later.
Bob pendulum clocks (verge) were mostly converted to long pendulum (anchor escapement). Some were re-converted later back to verge. A few retain their 'original verge' escapement.
Long pendulum lantern clocks with anchor escapement, from about 1680 to about 1780.
Long pendulum (anchor) clocks always keep their original escapement (except where converted to spring-driven clock, which are a quite separate category).
Lantern clocks converted to spring-driven mantel clocks.

Copyright © 2013 Brian Loomes

more articles by Brian Loomes on collecting antique clocks

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