david innes double fusee railway clock

This is an extremely fine example of a double fusee wall clock. Made by David Innes around 1900, it is set in a rich case and is from a London Underground railway station, the dial revealing 'EC3,' pertaining to Eastern Central London. Used in antique spring-powered mechanical watches and clocks, a fusee (from the French fusée, wire wound around a spindle) is a cone-shaped pulley with a helical groove around it, wound with a cord or chain which is attached to the mainspring barrel. Fusees were used from the 15th century to the early 20th century to improve timekeeping by equalizing the uneven pull of the mainspring as it ran down. The origin of the fusee is not known. Many sources erroneously credit clockmaker Jacob Zech of Prague with inventing it around 1525. The earliest definitely dated fusee clock was made by Zech in 1525, but the fusee actually appeared earlier, with the first spring driven clocks in the 15th century. The idea probably did not originate with clockmakers, since the earliest known example is in a crossbow windlass shown in a 1405 military manuscript. Drawings from the 15th century by Filippo Brunelleschi and Leonardo da Vinci show fusees. The earliest existing clock with a fusee, also the earliest spring-powered clock, is the Burgunderuhr (Burgundy clock), a chamber clock whose iconography suggests that it was made for Phillipe the Good, Duke of Burgundy about 1430, now in the Germanisches National museum. The word 'fusee' comes from the French fusée and late Latin fusata, 'spindle full of thread'.

REF: 3631- We are Time in Hand (Shipston) Ltd, established antique clock shop and restoration service for over 40 years based in the Cotswolds. All clocks are fully restored prior to delivery or collection. All clocks come with a 1 year guarantee. We can deliver and set up clocks in person (up to a 60 mile radius) - arrangement to be agreed with customer prior to visit. Courier delivery also possible. For sales enquiries, email: sales@timeinhand.co.uk, for repair or restoration services, email mail@timeinhand.co.uk. www.timeinhand.co.uk.

Antiques.co.uk Ref: VEWKPTJD

Maker/Artist:

David Innes

Width (cm):

41

Height (cm):

82

Depth (cm):

15.5

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