Today’s Competition 3

[oldhippy]

When it comes to Longcase Clocks or Grandfather clocks as they are known it can be a minefield knowing what is correct. We have 4 dials here so can you give the correct range of dates when they would have appeared.  

Edited April 13, 2017 by oldhippy

[dadistic]

Oh boy.

I'm going to take a flyer, and guess that number 3 is the oldest, but other than that?  Shrug.

[SeikoWatch]

Certainly these are beautiful dials for clocks..oldhippy

[clockboy]

Your best yet oldhippy. Found it difficult because not just the dials are indicators of the date (I think)

However heres my shot:

1) 1775-1780
2) 1810-1820
3) 1790-1830 (Thomas Dickinson)
4) 1810-1812

How you dated them will be of interest to me for sure.

[wls1971]

This is what I think they are,

1, A  clock dial with 5 minute divisions and roman hour numerals and simple corner decoration made between 1770 and 1800.

2 and 3, 1800-1830 with 3 probably being the eairlier of the two shown as it still retains the 5 minute markings

4, 1830 onwards to about 1870 the more paint the later the dial as a rough rule of thumb.

[frenchie]

No idea... but in the interest of the game, here is my attempt at sorting them from oldest to most modern:

3

4

1

2 (something doesn't look right with that one... the hands are very nice though)

[Jeremy]

I don't know. But my favorite is number 3

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[oldhippy]

wis1971 is the winner. You sure know your Longcase dials or do you have a good book.:D

Here is the correct info. I put two dials in with the same date but that did not fool you. Dials are put into periods of date. What you might come across is a clock outside of the dates this is down to places away from what is in with the dial makes and their stock might be a bit behind the times to what is being produced in the cities, this happens a lot the further north you go, then you have to look at the case. A quick tip with the case is the door, long slender doors are early short wide doors are very late.

 

Period one dials date from about 1770 to about 1800 and look more or less like this:

Picture 1, The hour numerals are in Roman lettering (FROM I to XII) and the minute numerals are in arabic (5 to 60) numbered every five minutes (often called five minute numbering).

Period one dials date from about 1770 to about 1800 and look more or less like this:

The hour numerals are in Roman lettering (FROM I to XII) and the minute numerals are in arabic (5 to 60) numbered every five minutes (often called five minute numbering).

 

Picture 2 and 3,

Period two dials change in three distinct ways.

Whereas period one corner decoration tends to be simple gold scrollwork or little flowers, fruit or the occasional bird, period two dials tend to have either geometric shapes, or shells, or abstract patterns – usually with a little more colour than period one.

Period two dials start to lose the five minute numbering and this is replaced with fifteen minute numbering (15,30,45,60) possibly in slightly smaller size, around the hour numbers.

The Hour numerals are often in arabic rather than roman style.

Period two tends to cover the period 1800 to 1825-30

Picture 4

Period three dials are from 1830 onwards until the demise of longcase clockmaking about 1850-70.

The minute numbering has disappeared completely and the hour numerals are back as Roman numerals, (I, II, III, IIII, V, VI, etc..)

The corner decoration tends to be full colour scenes, often of country scenes, sometimes of the four seasons, countries (England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales) or the four continents.

Sometimes there are specific corner or arch paintings to do with trade or commerce or perhaps with a religious or masonic theme.

Thanks to all that took part and to those for looking. In my time I must have restored hundreds of these clocks from 30hour 8day and month duration, Many extremely early.  

[clockboy]

I found this site useful but still find it confusing. I presume using the hands styles is not a reliable method. 

http://www.clockmakersandrepairs.co.uk/page6.htm

[oldhippy]

I know of this one. The thing with hands they get broken and they can be replaced which is not that difficult. They have a story in themselves as old ones will be thick and its easy to pick out the hand made from the mass produced, but handmade Longcase clock hands can be obtained today. 

[Tmuir]

Well I guess the correct order of age half correct, got the first two correct, but got the last two around the wrong way, but I was going by hand styles from De Carles watch and clock encyclopaedia. Thanks for the information on the dials as I definately learnt something here.