These first three photos I took in and around town yesterday morning.There was a slight fog/mist, and I took the pictures to demonstrate the autumn colours, which the mist seemed to make, somehow, more autumnal ?.
This morning we motored over to Lavenham. Two friends of ours are moving there (from a few miles out. They are 'downsizing'), and wanted me to set their two nice, early clocks 'in beat' in their new home,, which I did. The lantern clock which features in the next two photos is this weeks
MYSTERY OBJECT.
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It is an English lantern clock by John Fordham of Dunmow. He numbered his clocks (most unusually for a country maker) - this one is numbered 244. I have known this clock for a good many years. Another odd thing about it is that the engraver of the clock used the underside of the bottom plate for practising his engraving on, and one of the things he engraved twice on the underside of the clock is the year it was made.
Please give the year in which you think the clock was made.
You should be able to get fairly near from the style of the clock and the engraving. But I don't think his habit of numbering his clocks will be of any help at all.
I wish you good guessing, and, of course, Good Night.
12 comments:
1731
1723? Just a guess!
1723? Just a guess!
First thoughts are anywhere from 1650 to 1750 is possible for this type of clock, but since you suggest it is early, I might guess at 1666 hoping that date will provide a pretty hot answer. ( Well it might have seen the great fire of London).
2nd thoughts remind me that Fordham's clocks usually date from 1702-1721 so I will say 1712.
I think the three of you got quite remarkably close to the date on the clock, which is 1710. Well done, all of you. Crowbard's 'second thoughts' got the closest with 1712 - only two years out, which is brilliant!!!!
I suppose, Crowbard, your 'second thoughts' weren't prompted by a quick look at Google? No, sorry, brother, such suspicions are unworthy, and I beg your pardon for airing them.
Absolutely pardoned dear chap, but I did not glance at Google....
It was an antiquarian horology dealer's site!
At a guess - Brian Loomes?
Yes to start with, Mike, but surprisingly I found Fordham's working period from a genealogy site by his modern descendants. Much more my area of interest and expertise.
You are, as we both know, far more into modern technology than I. If I say "I must look that up" I go to the appropriate book shelf. Then someone (usually Ann) says "Why don't you Google it?" and I do, but I don't think I've really 'got my head round' modern technology yet.
Know what you mean Mike. We both thrived when mechanism ruled - you still do, and I hung on when Fortran and Algol, Assembler and machine-code where the languages of the day; but miniaturisation and portability have turned my Personal Computer into a lumbering dinosaur and me with it. I see 2 year-olds making mystical passes at a slim sheet of plastic, competently controlling audible and visual magic issuing therefrom. It's enough to make an aged priest of Wicca give up and take to the wicker Bath-chair!
What a glorious autumn it is this year! Oh by the way I think the clock is 1710. I'm not too late too guess am I?
Hi Maggie. It has, as you say, been a glorious Autumn. It still is ( it ends in December, I think). No, dear, it's not too late to guess. Your guess, too, is a glorious one -dead right. I could almost wish - for your sake, that there was a prize. By the way, have you moved down to the West , yet?
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