Clock
George Hart
Category
Horology
Date
Unknown
Materials
pine frames, mahogany door panels, copper chapter ring panel and celestial dial, brass fittings, lead flashing.
Measurements
1200 x 1200 x 120 mm
Place of origin
Campden
Order this imageCollection
Snowshill Manor and Garden, Gloucestershire
NT 1333482
Summary
Clock - The Nycthemeron. 24 hour clock features astrological and zodiac symbols plus inscriptions from the teachings of St Bernard of Clairvaux. Nycthemeron being Greek for 'night and day'. Located in the Well Court. All metalwork by George Hart, Silversmith of Chipping Campden. Painted in 'Wade Blue' with latin motto in gold on each panel. Charles Wade refers to the Nychthemeron in his notebook Haphazard Notes Volume 2, page 111 and 112. He also includes various sketches of the mechanisms and the quotes on he shutters. 'GARDEN CLOCK WITH ZODIAC NOTE. The two large wheels may be of the same diameters & approximately the same tooth pitch. The pitch error will only be 366/365 – 1 = .0027 times the pitch. So if the pitch is 1/10” the error will only be .0027 – 1 = .00027” which is negligible Wide pinion with say 30 teeth WHEEL with 366 TEETH revolving with centre spindle SPINDLE carrying HAND with SUN rotating in 24 hours WHEEL with 365 TEETH revolving with Zodiacal face ZODIACAL FACE rotating in 23 hrs 56 min 4 secs or 366 times in 365 days. As sketched, the Zodiacal face & the hour hand rotate in the same direction (clockwise) & the signs will be arrow pointing to sketch of Zodiacal face. By this arrangement the true position of the SUN in the ECLIPTIC is shown at any instance.
Provenance
Given to the National Trust with Snowshill Manor in 1951 by Charles Paget Wade.
Makers and roles
George Hart