Early pendulum clock by Salomon Coster, c.1657, 1657-1659
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1657-1659
This early pendulum clock is dated by the Science Museum Group Collection to between 1657 and 1659 and associated with Salomon Coster and Christiaan Huygens in The Hague.
The rear view illustrates the brass movement assembly secured with pinned pillars to an inner plate or case structure lined with black velvet along its borders. A central pendulum hangs from a suspension flanked by curved cycloidal cheeks, extending downward past a lower cutout to end in a spherical bob. A spring latch or locking arm is mounted at the left edge.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- 1657-1659
- Type
- Pendulum clock
- Maker
- Salomon Coster and Christiaan Huygens
- Place recorded
- Netherlands
- Maker / attribution
- Salomon Coster and Christiaan Huygens
- Place of manufacture
- The Hague
Design
- Visible features
- • Rectangular brass backplate secured with pinned corner pillars • Central pendulum rod suspended between curved cycloidal cheeks and terminating in a round spherical bob • Backboard assembly bordered with dark velvet fabric • Hinged brass catch or latch on the left edge of the plate • Cutout in the lower mounting board accommodating the pendulum bob swing
- Documentation and Examination Limits
- The visual evidence is restricted to the rear of the movement and the internal mounting board. Dial layout, chapter ring, hands, and case exterior are not visible in the supplied photographic record. Specific internal gear train counts, escapement operation, and physical dimensions are not recorded in the source text. Whether any signatures exist on unseen surfaces is not documented in this source.
- Visible Movement and Suspension Features
- Visual examination of the mechanism rear shows a "Rectangular brass backplate secured with pinned corner pillars". Mounted alongside the plate is a "Hinged brass catch or latch on the left edge of the plate". A "Central pendulum rod suspended between curved cycloidal cheeks and terminating in a round spherical bob" extends downward through the assembly. The surrounding mounting framework displays a "Cutout in the lower mounting board accommodating the pendulum bob swing" and a "Backboard assembly bordered with dark velvet fabric".
- Institutional Identity and Recorded Makers
- The Science Museum Group Collection catalogs this object as "Early pendulum clock by Salomon Coster, c.1657." Institutional records list the production date as "1657-1659" and the place of manufacture as "The Hague". The collection entry records the makers as "Salomon Coster and Christiaan Huygens". These details represent catalog records provided by the museum rather than verified engraved signatures on the exposed movement backplate.
Identification
- Reference
- co1031
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Only the movement rear and inner case structure are shown; dial and case front are not visible in this image
- Research required: Attribution to Salomon Coster and Christiaan Huygens is source-reported