The Arthur Negus Guide to English Clocks

Hamlyn, London, first edition, 1980. Cloth, 8vo, 25 cm,. 192 pp, 140 ills. From the blurb: "The Arthur Negus Guide to English Clocks is a devoted study of the field, written by David Barker, who has years of experience as a restorer of old clocks. It tells the history of the English clockmaking industry, with examples of the main styles found in the last four hundred years, and explains simply the major mechanical innovations to clock design over that period. The author's knowledge of restoration allows him to discuss in detail the working methods of the old clockmakers, the tools and the metals they used, and the kind of solutions they employed in the design of each clock movement. The result of this intimate knowledge is to teach the reader how to recognise the qualities of a clock, both as an objet d'art and as a machine; to appreciate whether it has been restored well or badly, whether it needs expensive repairs or is fundamentally sound. Clocks are a perfect blend of art and industry. This book, with its 140 illustrations, photographs and diagrams, will give the collector and clock lover a full appreciation of their beauty, their reliability and their ingenuity. Very Good in a yellowed and price-clipped dustwrapper.