Pennsylvania Clocks and Watches: Antique Timepieces and Their Makers

Amazon.com Price: $52.95 (as of 20/04/2019 07:57 PST- Details)

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Description

A history of timepieces made in Pennsylvania from William Penn’s time to the present, this book is more than a compendium of clock and watchmakers and their work. With abundant illustrations and lore from historians in each a part of the state, it recreates a time when clock and watchmaking was once not a mere occupation: it was once in point of fact a craft. The creator attributes this characteristic to the Keystone State’s unusually varied population, and explores the more than a few ”old world” influences affecting the design and style of timepieces.The story of clock and watchmaking from colonial Philadelphia to Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle is an enormous chapter in the history of industry, trade, tastemaking, and craftsmanship. Clocks of finely carved wood decorated the homes of prosperous early settlers, and golden watchcases adorned their persons; meanwhile, clocks on Independence Hall and other public buildings measured the hours for the general citizenry. As time passed, more utilitarian clocks graced schools and factories, even as Hamilton watches kept the trains running on time. Resisting the temptation to lower standards for the sake of mass production, Pennsylvania clock and watchmakers gained fame for their high-quality craftsmanship. The making of clocks and watches is detailed by Dr. Gibbs from its beginning in the southeastern counties of William Penn Country, through the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and the center of the Commonwealth, and on to the state’s northern and western frontiers.The craftsmen are presented in historical context, with emphasis on their social and educational backgrounds and the effect of these on their timepieces. Separate sections focal point on illustrious clockmakers such as the Ellicott and Solliday families, Jacob Detweiler Custer, and the master of horology and astronomy, Dr. David Rittenhouse. Pennsylvania Clocks and Watches is an indispensable handbook for the experienced collector and a stimulating guide for the beginner. Additionally it is a valuable reference for students of industrial and social history, design, and folkways.

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