The Synchronome Company
This Synchronome book is a slim volume of A4 size with 47 printed pages and it includes 100 illustrations.
It is not an all embracing, erudite or encyclopedic volume but it does provide answers to most of the questions I get asked on my Clock Museum website. It includes pictures of the various types of movements and cases made by the company and details of when changes were made provide an aid to dating a clock. There is a chapter on serial numbers.
Many of the extra units added to standard clocks are illustrated as are the many units such as bell controllers made by Synchronome to provide a complete system.
There is a chapter on less well known products of the Synchronome Company and I have also been able to include a set of pictures of the rare Double A frame master clock.
Price is £15 GBP inclusive of postage to whatever part of the world you live in and if you so wish I will even sign the copy for you. Please note payment to be by Paypal and in British Pounds
So far as I am concerned this is a strictly non profit making venture, I just want to make the information I have available in some permanent form. Barrie Smith
Smiths Watches
Smiths were the largest manufacturer of Clocks and Watches in the United Kingdom but no previous attempt appears to have been made to
document their watchmaking activities.
During the Second World War (1939-1945) they were the major UK supplier for essential aircraft clocks and instruments and during this
period started their watchmaking activities, producing of pocket and wrist watches for the armed forces.
After the war, high quality watches were produced at Cheltenham and low cost watches were made at Ystradgynlais in Wales as a joint venture with Ingersol.
This book provides a mass of interesting detail about these factories and the early history of Smiths, but the main bulk is a bonanza for collectors and consists of reproductions of no less than sixteen Smiths Watch Catalogues with details of over 700 models.
Pub Sept 2009, A4, Gloss laminated colour card covers, 278 inner pages
ISBN 978-1-904661-09-2
£15.00 + £3.00 post in UK, overseas postage extra at cost
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Smiths of Cricklewood were one of the most prolific clockmakers of the twentieth century, and there can be few homes that have not contained at least one of the company's products.
Barrie Smith, a respected authority on these clocks, has put the results of his many years of research into print to allow others to share the fascinating history of the company.
Apart from the history of the company and factory photographs, this publication contains a fully indexed picture gallery that will allow collectors, dealers and owners of Smiths clocks to date and name their own clocks and thus add to their knowledge and enjoyment.
Second Edition
Pub March 2008, A4, Gloss laminated colour card covers, 290 inner pages
ISBN 978-1-904661-05-4
£15.00 + £3.00 post in UK, overseas postage extra at cost
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Smiths Motor Accessories
The early days of motoring are vividly brought to life in this fully illustrated and priced facsimile reprint of an extremely rare motor accessory catalogue dating from 1910.
Smiths, well known as clock and watchmakers, supplied watches for fitting to cars. They developed a speedometer in 1904 then tapped into the rapidly growing market for motoring instruments and related items.
In 1914 S Smith & Sons (motor Accessories) Ltd. was formed to take over the motor accessory business and this grew to be the main company in what later became the Smith Group.
This book will appeal to the collectors and dealers of automobilia as well as owners of such items and those with a general interest in what was available to those fortunate enough to own a motor vehicle 100 years ago.
Pub Sept 2006, A4, Gloss laminated card covers, 134 inner pages
ISBN 1-904661-03-3
£12 + £2.50 post in UK, overseas postage extra at cost.
Turret Clocks
Lists of clocks from makers' catalogues and publicity materials
Edited by Chris Pickford FSA
Period trade catalogues are now notoriously difficult to find, due to their ephemeral nature. Many of the larger turret clock makers issued catalogues to publicise their products and often one of the fascinating inclusions is a list of the locations where clocks were installed both in the UK and overseas.
Members of the Turret Clock Group of the Antiquarian Horological Society (AHS) have been collecting and actively seeking example of this important primary research material for many years. Chris Pickford has collated and extracted the lists of installations from all of the catalogues available to the group and this is presented here for researchers, historians and anyone interested in public timekeeping. The book contains the lists from some 20+ catalogues and is indexed by town, county and country.
Net proceeds from the sale of this book accrue to the Turret Clock Group of the AHS.
Pub August 2009 (second edition), A4, Soft covers, 220 pages
£15.00 post free in UK, overseas postage £7.00.
This is a facsimile printing of a catalogue and price list of turret clocks issued by this company probably for the clock trade, circa 1905. Period turret clock material is scarce and this rare catalogue provides a valuable insight into the range of products offered as well as the prices being charged at the time. Chris McKay has added some text expanding upon the content of the price list, together with some further details of the company.
Published September 2009, A4 size, card covers, 36 high grade glossy inner pages
ISBN No. 978-1-904661-10-8
£15.00 + £1.50 post in UK, overseas postage extra at cost
Henry Sainsbury
Facsimile reprint of a c1881 trade catalogue providing a rare insight into one of our lesser known turret clock makers. In the catalogue it is stated that the firm was founded in 1734, but relatively little seems to have been written about this maker.
The range of products on offer, including clocks, carillons, bells and sundials, is extensive and suggests that maybe the majority of the firms output was signed by other makers. Catalogue includes detailed illustrations of the product range along with specification and prices.
Pub November 2005, A4 size, card covers, 36 high grade glossy inner pages
ISBN No. 1-904661-01-7
£10 + £1.20 post in UK, overseas postage extra
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Gents Pulsynetic
A well produced reprint of a rare original 1907 trade catalogue for "The B.P. system of Patent Silent Electric Impulse Clocks". This is the range that was to become the Gents Pulsynetic Master clock system.
Contains full details of range then available, featuring many clocks and accessories rarely seen today. Also included are installation instructions, prices and a list of installations as at that date .
Pub July 2005, slightly less than A4 size, card covers, 28 high grade glossy inner pages
£10 + £1 post in UK, overseas postage extra
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J W Benson
James Benson was a prolific retailer of clocks and watches. Based in Ludgate Hill, London this was a large and apparently successful business.
The turret clocks made by the company were exported all around the world, as well as being utilised in all parts of the UK. A list of known installation locations is included.
This book focuses on the turret clock activities of the company, and brings together rare catalogue and advertising material.
Pub October 2002, A4 Card covers, 72 pages
ISBN No. 0-9538977-7-X
£12 + £1.20 post in UK, overseas postage extra at cost
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John Moore & Sons, Clerkenwell
Includes a history of the company, a reproduction of an article first published in 1843 by George Dodd "A day at a Church Clock Factory", a reproduction from the "Illustrated Exhibitor" dated 1852 detailing a visit to the Moore factory.
An index of clocks supplied by the company is also included along with photos of typical Moore clocks to aid identification.
Pub January 2002, A4 card covers, 72 pages
ISBN No. 0-9538977-4-5
£12 + £1.20 post in UK, overseas post extra at cost
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John Smith & Sons, Clerkenwell
This publication makes available facsimiles of an article first published in The Illustrated London News and catalogues of Smith's products dating from 1880 and c1910.
Also included are some pages of advertising material showing longcase clocks made by the company and a trade broadsheet.
Pub July 2001, A4 card covers, 72 pages
ISBN No. 0-9538977-2-9
£12 + £1.20 post in UK, overseas post extra
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Origin & Use of Church Scratch Dials
A facsimile copy of a booklet first published in 1935, giving an interesting and succinct of these interesting artefacts often found on churches throughout much of the UK.
Also included is a description of the medieval time-system and an explanation of the various lines that have survived.
The book concludes with an appendix listing over 1300 locations where scratch dials can be found.
Pub July 2001, A5 Card covers, 20 pages
ISBN No. 0-9538977-1-0
£3 +50p post in UK, overseas postage extra at cost
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