This book is a lucid and authoritative catalog of man's obsession with time and timepieces. Hundreds of full-color and black-and-white illustrations compliment intricate line drawings that illuminate the inner workings of these devices.

The story of English clocks from their beginnings to the first decade of the eithteenth century written by three acknowledged experts.

One of Smithsonian Magazine's Ten Best History Books of 2021 A captivating, surprising history of timekeeping and how it has shaped our world. For thousands of years, people of all cultures have made and used clocks, from the city sundials of ancient Rome to the medieval water clocks of imperial China, hourglasses fomenting revolution in the Middle Ages, the Stock Exchange clock of Amsterdam in 1611, Enlightenment observatories in India, and the high-precision clocks circling the Earth on a fleet of GPS satellites that have been launched since 1978. Clocks have helped us navigate the world and build empires, and have even taken us to the brink of destruction. Elites have used them to wield power, make money, govern citizens, and control lives—and sometimes the people have used them to fight back. Through the stories of twelve clocks, About Time brings pivotal moments from the past vividly to life. Historian and lifelong clock enthusiast David Rooney takes us from the unveiling of al-Jazari’s castle clock in 1206, in present-day Turkey; to the Cape of Good Hope observatory at the southern tip of Africa, where nineteenth-century British government astronomers moved the gears of empire with a time ball and a gun; to the burial of a plutonium clock now sealed beneath a public park in Osaka, where it will keep time for 5,000 years. Rooney shows, through these artifacts, how time has been imagined, politicized, and weaponized over the centuries—and how it might bring peace. Ultimately, he writes, the technical history of horology is only the start of the story. A history of clocks is a history of civilization.

This text provides an overview of the history of the mechanical clock and its effects on European society from the late Middle Ages to the industrial revolution. The book provides a discussion of how mechanical clocks functioned in cities and dispels many

In Marking Modern Times, Alexis McCrossen relates how the American preoccupation with time led people from across social classes to acquire watches and clocks, and expands our understanding of the ways we have standardized time and have made timekeepers serve as political, social, and cultural tools in a society that not merely values time, but regards access to it as a natural-born right.

Contains 250 black and white photographs of clocks, followed by a List of American Clockmakers and a List of Foreign Clockmakers. Indexed. Note publication date of 1924.

There's always time for a great clock in your life. Famed collector and clock enthusiast Wallace Nutting originally released The Clock Book in 1924, a celebration of the decorative properties of more than 250 clocks pictured with detailed descriptions of their functions and makers. Antique clock enthusiasts should find immense enjoyment pouring through the images and intricacies of this fascinating collection of clocks that span the ages, in addition to historic clock dates and lists of artist and craftspeople. This special edition reprint of The Clock Book enlarges the page sizes, includes a spectacular new cover design, and retains the original retro period font for a most enjoyable contemporary reading experience. In addition to photographs, illustrations, and historical perspective, more than 100 pages are devoted to classic American clockmakers and period manufacturers, as well as lists of European and foreign clockmakers from around the world. Includes: Notable Clock Dates More than 250 photographs and Illustrations An Introduction by Mr. Wallace List of Former Foreign Clockmakers List of American Clockmakers Description of Illustrations and more

This detailed overview provides a unique visual record, as well as collated information, to help dealers and collectors date English clocks by their case styles. Using examples from the famous Wetherfield collection--the greatest collection of entirely English domestic clocks ever made by a private collector--a beautiful range of accompanying photographs depicts the whole range of designs. The longcase series is very representative, and to fill gaps in the historical record of bracket (table) clocks, a series of style drawings is provided. Additionally, the book specifically deals with dating a clock by its movement, dial, and case, with guidance on "improvements" and "marriages," when a case and a movement do not belong to each other. There are also notes on the makers represented, neatly rounding off this must-have for all antique clock aficionados or those considering bringing their clock onto Antiques Roadshow.

What is time? When did we first use it? Does it always work? How do animals tell time? A fun and fascinating look at time from the first calendars and clocks to the digital watches and precise time-keeping methods of today.