A very rare late 19th century Japanese brass Dai-Dokei with side-pendulum and engraved dial platesurmounted by a heavy bronze straight-sided bell mounted on a turned brass post set on the overhanging brass top plate, the shaped rectangular dial plate engraved with scrolling foliage around the rotating 3.5'' twenty-four hour dial now marked in Roman hours twice I-XII, subdivided into ten minute divisions, with brass alarm setting hand and elaborately pierced stationary hour hand, the weight-driven birdcage movement with twin vertical verge escape wheels and double-sided pallets, each wide swing of the crutch (pendulum now lacking) acting on alternate wheels, with trains of four wheels, each wheel of brass and with solid centres to steel high-count pinions, the striking train with solid brass toothed count wheel striking the hours, 1-12 on a vertical hammer, governed by a four-vane fly, 27cms highFootnotes:Japanese lantern clocks belong to a larger group of traditional Japanese clocks known as Wadokei. Within the category of 'lantern clock' are various sub-divisions, including Dai-dokei which are lantern clocks that were displayed under a hood on a specially made four-legged stand, Yagura-dokei a lantern clock on a pyramidal prism stand and a Hashira-dokei the closest to a European lantern clock, which would sit on a wood wall bracket, occasionally with a hood. It is difficult to say definitively which category this clock belongs to as it does not have a stand or bracket with it. However, it is clear from examining the movement that it is not missing any side doors, which suggests that it would have been covered by something to protect it from the elements. Furthermore, as it has a four wheel train it is considered to be a larger clock, by Wadokei standards, which means it is unlikely to be hung on a wall; most Japanese house walls at this time were made of light wood and paper, with the exception of the central wooden beam which supported the structure. Considering these two factors, this clock can be tentatively classified as a Dai-dokei, though this remains conjecture.This is likely to be a transitional clock; beginning in 1873 Japan converted their national time system from temporal hours to equally divided hours. Before this date, most clocks made in Japan had dials and striking that reflected a day being variably divided into six toki during the day, and six during the night. The exact length of the toki would vary depending on the season; however, there would always be six divisions in both day and night. The numbers used to refer to each toki were a sequence from 9-4 with 9 representing midnight, 6 representing dawn down to 4, before repeating the sequence with 9 representing midday and 6 representing dusk. The numerals would be represented by animals as well, with twelve animals used so that in conversation 'the toki of the Horse' clearly referred to 9 during the day (or Noon), whereas 'the toki of the Rat' was 9 during the night (midnight). In order to display this on a clock dial a foliot escapement was used which could be regulated to go faster or slower depending on the day; double foliots were created as well with automatic, cam-assisted switch over between the daylight rate and the night time rate. Clocks without foliot escapements would be provided with moveable hour plaques, which could be pushed manually or mechanically around the chapter ring as the season dictated.In 1875, the first clock factory opened in Japan, primarily making American-type domestic clocks, all with uniform hours. Before this point, all clocks in Japan had been made by individual clockmakers; there was no wholesale 'rough movement' industry either, so generally one craftsman would create a clock from metal plate and rod, perhaps spending a year making each one. This accounts for the unique qualities of the clocks made before 1875; although they look similar, no two are interchangeable. This clock has a pendulum movement and vertical double crown wheel escapement, which is occasionally seen pre-1873, but a fixed Roman numeral chapter ring as well as a standard 12-hour count wheel, both features which were not seen until after 1873. However, the spring finger on the striking detent which connects with the hour pin on the back of the revolving dial is a pre-1873 construction, as is the traditional bell with its thickened inner rim. It seems likely that this clock was made circa 1873, having a combination of older and newer features, looking similar to other earlier clocks, but using the new system of time display. That it is a fully brass movement and has a fixed hour hand with a revolving dial, suggests it is at the later end of the Wadokei timeline.Provenance-Sold in these rooms 12 December 2018, Lot 101Strachan, A. (2014) 'Japanese Clocks,' Horological Journal, Volume 156 (9), pgs. 394-398 (Accessed 9 May 2022).Ward, F. A. B. (1956) 'Informal Meeting', Antiquarian Horology, Volume 1 (11), pgs. 169-170 (Accessed 9 May 2022).Strachan, A. WADOKEI.ORG: Sharing a passion for Japanese Edo Period Clocks. Available at: https://wadokei.org/ (Accessed 9 May 2022).Japan Clock & Watch Association (2022) History of the Japanese Horological Industry. Available at:https://www.jcwa.or.jp/en/etc/history01.html (Accessed 9 May 2022).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
