Clocks of New York

Book excerpt: The phrase "in a New York minute" is virtually synonymous with all that is fast-paced and technologically advanced. One of the first cities founded on the eastern seaboard, New York has been a horological trendsetter for almost four hundred years. When the first Dutch settlers came to Manhattan in the early years of the 17th century, they established America's first stronghold of capitalism. Over the next few centuries, precise schedules became an inescapable reality of modernization and precision timepieces became an art form in Europe and America. As the center of commercial and industrial activity, New York City developed a particular preoccupation with time, and hence became a showplace for an astonishing array of timepieces. From tower clocks to time balls, this richly illustrated work chronicles the history of public clocks in New York City. It discusses the premiere clock-makers of the 19th century such as the Ansonia Clock Company and the Self Winding Clock Company, the heyday of American public clock making and the ever-increasing importance of clocks. Post clocks, church clocks, sundials, and labor timepieces are all discussed herein. Photographs of subject pieces and an index are included.