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banjo clock
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banjo clock
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Simon Willard
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banjo clock
banjo clock Banjo clock by Simon Willard, c. 1805–20.

banjo clock

Written by
Jonathan D. Betts
Curator of Horology, Royal Observatory Greenwich, National Maritime Museum.
Jonathan D. Betts
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

banjo clock, type of clock, so named because its upper portion is shaped like an inverted banjo. The clock was patented by Simon Willard of Massachusetts in 1802. It has a circular dial with a narrow metal frame and a bezel for the glass, which is usually dome-shaped. The top bears a finial. Below, a narrow trunk, slightly wider at the bottom than the top, protects the weight, and at the bottom a wider compartment contains the lower part of the pendulum. Slender concave metal ornaments connect the three main parts of the clock.

Jonathan D. Betts