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.
Copyright
© 2003 Brian Loomes more articles by Brian Loomes on collecting antique clocks
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