A Twin Fusee Ships Striking Bulkhead Clock

A fine ship’s bell bulkhead clock striking the ‘Dog Watches’ Sequence. This eight day twin fusee clock is a rare example of a ships striking clock marking the watches on board a ship.

The high quality movement regulated by a large gilded platform lever escapement, thick brass plates with their original lacquer and water of air finishing, held by four turned pillars striking on a large polished bell of rich tone. The silvered roman dial with subsidiary seconds is signed Beaver, Manchester, and has large blued steel spade hands. Housed in a bronze case the bezel of contrasting polished brass is glazed in thick bevelled glass.

Louis Beaver of Manchester was recorded as working between 1840 and 1878, we believe this clock was made circa 1850.

Before the introduction of mechanical timekeepers, time onboard ship was measured using a '30 minute' sand glass. Starting at the beginning of each watch it was the duty of the helmsman or quartermaster to reverse this glass every thirty minutes immediately the sand had run through the top-half to the bottom-half, and on each occasion he did this he would strike on the ship's bell the number of times he had turned the glass, giving double strokes for whole hours followed by a single stroke for the last half. To ensure the watch keepers shared equal duties throughout the night, the ‘dog watch’ was introduced to run two compressed watches of two hours duration each between 4.00pm and 8.00pm which progressed the sequence, after which the regular watch pattern resumed. 'Ship's Bell' clocks which only repeat the striking sequence for every four hour period starting from midnight are not uncommon, but it is particularly rare to have a clock which takes care of the 'Dog Watch' sequence.

A similar clock by Benzie of Cowes is held by the Royal Collections Trust and is now in the summerhouse in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, having previously be used on one of the Royal Yachts.

All of our clocks come with a 2 year guarantee, all of our clocks are overhauled and sympathetically restored, all of our clocks are authentic and supplied in good original condition.