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The Grasshopper Skeleton Clock by Comitti of London
Item Number: S236G
Manufacturer: Comitti of London
- The inspiration for the design of this clock comes from the work of John Harrison (1693-1776)
- John Harrison spent a lifetime perfecting marine timekeepers in order to win the prize offered under the longitude act of 1714 (Worth several million USD) for any invention or method capable of calculating longitude to within 30 miles
- Harrison's original grasshopper is on display at the Old Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England
- This clock is based upon Harrison's H1, which was successfully tested at sea in 1736 during a voyage to Lisbon aboard the HMS Centurion
- Despite Harrison's success, and the amazing performance of his other marine timekeepers, the Board of Longitude at first refused to award the prize; the story of Harrison's struggle for justice is documented in the book by Dava Sobel, entitled "Longitude", which accompanies the clock with shipment
- Each clock comes with a certificate of authenticity
- This clock incorporates "bar" balances, which Harrison designed to overcome the motion of a ship. These balances are coupled to a grasshopper escapement, another Harrison invention, which regulates the gold-plated 8-day fusee timepiece movement
- The clock comes mounted on satinwood square columns with a mahogany base, which has a drawer for the key, and is protected by a glass canopy
- The time is indicated in hours, minutes, and seconds, on etched silver plated dials by "blued" nickel silver hands
- The seconds are indicated by the 180 degree scale above the dial
- Availability of this clock is limited to 25 pieces annually, worldwide
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