Part 3 (2/2)
”And what marvel? How should you?” his companion replied pleasantly.
”You have been such a good listener that I was forgetting you had not been brought up among clocks as I have been. Well, a spandrel is the small bra.s.s ornament at the corner that fills in the triangular gap left between the circular face and the square outline of the case. Some clocks have four of these, others such as this one only two. These ornaments were roughly cast in bra.s.s and afterward more carefully lacquered and finished by the clockmaker himself. Sometimes, however, we find them crudely executed as if they had been taken direct from the mold. Clockmakers of that time were not so inventive as we; neither had they had training in design, and as a result we see little variety in these bra.s.s ornamentations. At one period all these spandrels took the form of cherub's heads, an idea that may possibly have been copied from the Italians. Later a pattern with two cherubs supporting a crown was popular; and at a still later date the head of the cherub set in a scroll is found. That is the pattern on this one. The bra.s.s basketwork across the top is a relic of the old bird-cage clock which just preceded this one, and was cast by the metalsmith and then purchased by the clockmaker as were the spandrels.
”Since we know the approximate date that such metal work was done and have in addition Richard Parsons' name listed among the London Clockmakers' Company together with his address, there is pretty positive evidence that this antique is genuine.”
”Was a list of all the London clockmakers kept?” questioned Christopher incredulously.
”Of those who belonged to the Clockmakers' Company, yes; but there were many excellent makers who lived in the country and therefore did not belong to this guild. Those who were members were, you may be moderately certain, fine workmen. For that matter you may rest a.s.sured that any old clock of early make which is still doing duty is a good clock; it would not be going now if it weren't.”
”Of course. But Richard Parsons was really in the list, was he?”
”He was; his name, address, date of apprentices.h.i.+p and the name of the maker to whom he was apprenticed; also the dates when he was admitted to the most wors.h.i.+pful Clockmakers' Company. So you see, although he lived long ago, Richard Parsons is no stranger to us.”
”It makes you feel different when you know who he was, doesn't it?”
commented Christopher slowly.
”Yes, and his work helps us to know a good deal about him too, for no lazy, careless person turned out such a clock as this. We must nevertheless take into consideration that in 1700 men had the leisure for careful handiwork. n.o.body was in a hurry in those days. Richard Parsons, in his shop at Number 15 Goswell Street, had all the time in the world to make his clock, and could fuss about and experiment to his heart's content. Probably no one ever thought of jogging him on or pestering him to know if his work wasn't done.”
Ruefully McPhearson shrugged his shoulders.
”Now I couldn't make a clock even were I so minded,” he continued with a whimsical smile. ”Mr. Bailey and a score of others as anxious as he would be prancing in here every half-hour to find out when it would be finished. They would expect it to be made, wound up, and ticking, inside a week. It was not so in the days of Queen Anne.” The Scotchman sighed, then added, ”Sometimes I envy them their leisure.”
Once more he turned the clock round so Christopher could see its old-fas.h.i.+oned face gay with dainty vines and flowers.
”I declare if it isn't almost twelve o'clock,” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed he. ”It's only three minutes behind schedule to-day. Still we must get it down finer than that. Besides, I'd rather it gained than lost time; losing is a grievous fault. Now what selection shall we play? Choose quickly for there isn't much leeway--”
”I'll have the dance.”
”On with the dance!” McPhearson exclaimed gayly.
Opening the door at the front he moved the single hand until it pointed to the air desired. And he was none too soon, for an instant later the clock struck the hour and then, after a short pause, Christopher heard the tinkle of bells, thin, clear, and sweet, beginning to play a quaint s.n.a.t.c.h of melody. It was not at all the sort of dance music the boy had expected. Instead it was a merry little tune so gay one could not but be glad that noontide had come and that the sun rode high in the heavens.
”Jove, but that's jolly!” cried Christopher with delight. ”I wish it would play right over again. If I had a clock like that I should run to listen to it every time it struck.”
”That is what our men here did at first,” laughed McPhearson. ”They all threw down their tools and rushed here like a pack of children.”
”Couldn't anybody buy one of these clocks?”
”I'm afraid were you to try to, you would find it would cost a small fortune,” answered the Scotchman. ”Once you could have secured such an article at a very modest price; but values increase with time, and to-day the work of Richard Parsons and those like him is at a premium.
Moreover, old bracket clocks are not often for sale. Those who own them are aware of their value and will not part with them.”
”Then I guess all I can do is to listen to this one,” sighed Christopher.
”That is all I can do myself,” McPhearson declared, with a wan smile. ”I should consider I had a fortune could I own a treasure like this. But at least if I cannot own it, I can have the fun of keeping it running and there is some satisfaction in that.”
”I should think there'd be a lot!” cried Christopher.
<script>