Unusual 8-Day "Smiths" Bezel Wind Car Clock. 1920s
SOLD
Good quality bezel wind car clock with an unusual sprung wire mounting device. Manufactured by Smiths during the 1920's.
This clock has a solid
brass case and is wound by turning the bezel. It contains a good quality, 8 day
lever movement and the hands are adjusted by a small extending knob located
below the 6 o'clock position. The dial is engraved with the number
"H-91.233". The clock is designed to be attached to the top of the
dashboard by an unusual wire spring device which grips the sides of the clock
case and locates into studs either side. Pulling the two handles at the ends of the spring allows the clock to be released from it's mount. Diameter of
clock case (not including hand adjustment knob) : 90mm. Very good condition.
Working order.
S. Smith & Sons Ltd was founded as a by Samuel Smith in London in 1851.
Samuel Smith was born in Ilford, Essex in 1827 and opened a watch & clock makers
shop in Newington Causeway, London in 1851. Samuel’s eldest son, also named
Samuel was born in 1851 and followed his father into the business. Samuel senior
died on 4th February 1875, aged 48 and his son took over the business. The
company expanded rapidly, opening showrooms at The Strand and later
at Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly. Smith & Sons also owned factories in Clerkenwell, London and Bienne, Switzerland.
They had many notable
customers, became watchmakers to the Admiralty, supplier of explorers watches to the Royal Geographical
Society and produced a range of high quality
timepieces including certified chronometers, chronographs and repeaters.
In 1899, Samuel formed the private company, S. Smith & Son Ltd, and transferred
his business to it. At this time, they started manufacturing motor clocks and in
1904 produced the first British odometer and speedometer. They added many other
motoring accessories to their range and in July 1914 formed S. Smith & Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd.
During W.W.I., the company supplied the British War Department with watches,
clocks, vehicle accessories, aircraft instruments, and shell fuses. In 1915 a factory at Cricklewood opened employing 400
persons, which soon increased to 2000.
In 1927 the Smith & Sons acquired an interest in the English Jaeger company who
manufactured clocks, watches and motoring/aviation instruments. The following
year A.B.E.C. Ltd. (All British Escapements Company) was
created to manufacture escapements for both Smiths and Jaeger clocks. In 1931 Smiths English Clocks Ltd. was
created to produce domestic clocks and the new company became the watch and
clock division of S Smith & Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd.
During W.W.II., with the demand for motor, aircraft and marine instruments for
the war effort, Smiths' production expanded yet again. In 1944 the name of the
parent company was changed to S. Smith & Sons (England) Ltd. and new subsidiary companies were set up: Smiths Motor Accessories Ltd., Smiths Aircraft Instruments Ltd., and Smiths Industrial Instruments Ltd. Around
1955,
Smiths English Clocks Ltd. changed its name to Smiths Clocks and Watches Ltd.
Business grew rapidly after the war with the total sales increasing from £7m in
1945 to £40m in 1962. The company
changed its name from S. Smith & Sons (England) Ltd. to Smiths Industries Ltd in
1966. In 1979 the production of Smiths watches and
clocks for the domestic market ended and in 1983 the automotive instruments
division was sold. In 2000 Smiths Industries merged with TI Group to form Smiths
Group plc.
For more information on
Smiths,
please click on the link below:
Inventory No. M-135
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