attributed to LOUIS DeMIRE, Ghent, Belgium, c. 1770 - 1780's. Two train with rack and snail strike. Brass plate and spacer frame. Pinwheel escapement with adjustable pallets. One second brass and steel rod pendulum. Knife-edge suspension. No maintaining power. 18.5"w x 13.5"h x 19"d.

The design and frame materials used for this small tower clock indicate that it was made to be seen. (Although with the lack of maintaining power, accuracy was not a high priority!). Notice how the frame central curves are designed to match the curvature of the second wheels in the time and strike trains. The decorative heart signet in the pendulum is also duplicated on the lower center section of front and rear frame plates. All of the inner wheels spokes are nicely beveled. Another unusual feature is the way the snail for the striking is advanced through a crude worm and rather nicely made associated gear. The fly fan is probably a replacement. The overall dimensions are a bit unusual in that the movement is deeper than it is wide. This is done to lengthen the width of the barrels so as to increase the duration. The downside of the approach is the fact that all arbors of the movement must be made to the same length of the barrels. This increases cost. Also longer arbors are weaker and more prone to damage. One way to get around this is the use of the 'chair frame' design (also known as double frame design). This concept uses a long barrel with short arbors in the rest of the movement. An example of this can be seen by clicking Cretin. Also note the ring at the top of the pendulum rod. It does not serve as a safety device to keep the rod and bob from falling in the case of a suspension spring failure, because there is no suspension spring. The top part of the inner ring has the knife blade that seats into a slot on top of the large rod supporting the entire pendulum assembly. You can see other examples of clocks with rings at the top of their pendulums that do serve as safety devices in the event of suspension spring failure by clicking Hors2, Horz3, and Hainz.