Weight-Driven Dutch Clocks & Their Japanese Connections

Author: E.L. Edwardes

206 pages, illustrated.

This book is the fourth and final volume in Laurence Edwardes' series of books on wieght-driven domestic clocks.

An introductory chapter on an early balance-wheel clock is followed by chapters on 'Little Hague' clocks, stoelklokken (stool clocks) staartklokken (tail clocks) and longcase clocks. Variations on these basic types, such as Zaanse and Friesian stoelklokken as well as the Friesian and schippertje (ship's clock) form of staartklokken and Amsterdam wall clocks are also discussed. While consideration is given to the special features of Dutch casework and dials, there is a strong emphasis on the details of the mechanisms.

Early Dutch traders were probably the first to introduce mechanical clocks to Japan, but the Japanese eventually developed types of clock which, though initially based on European, (and especially Dutch) technology, catered for their own needs. The final chapter describes the art and craft of the Japanese clockmaker, the old Japanese system of timekeeping, as well as lantern clocks, pyramid clocks and pillar clocks, peculiar to Japan.

This book is illustrated throughout with photographs and diagrams of Dutch and Japanese clocks and their mechanisms from both public and private collections.