LATE 19TH CENTURY

Details

A Japanese ebony and gilt-brass pillar clock (NAMA-GATA SHAKU-DOKEI)
Late 19th century
The movement with brass ringed and baluster uprights to the front, with tapering and leaf-engraved front plate mounted with a butterfly oscillating with the balance, the weight-driven train with verge escapement and pie crust brass balance, the lead weight with horizontal brass bar indicating the time on an engraved gilt-brass graph (Nama-Gata) on its descent, with key drawer to the base, the hood with sliding glazed front panel
15¾in. (40cm.) high

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

The purpose of this type of Shaku-dokei is to simplify the adjustments required for variable hours and variable seasons on Japanese clocks. Here, a graph or Nama-gata is used, over which a metal bar descends carrying a time indicator. This indicator only requires moving every two weeks and by its position on the graph indicates the hour of the day for any season. Each nama-gata works only for limited latitudes because, as with the sun dial, it is based on the relative position of the sun. On the present example, the curve of the graph forms short spaces at the upper right and long spaces at the lower right - representing long days and short nights or vice versa, according to the summer or winter season.

For other examples with Nama-gata see N.H.N. Mody Japanese Clocks, Charles E Tuttle, 1967, Plate 84, Figs.1-3.

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