Wristwatch movement re-purposed as a kitchen clock for a dolls' house
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1940s
This object is a re-purposed wrist watch movement converted into a kitchen wall clock for a dolls' house. The item is part of the furnishings of 'Pendle Hall', a Georgian-style dolls' house constructed by Felicity A.
Clemons in Tasmania between 1940 and 1980. The movement, which carries the serial number 12775, is signed 'Kilpatrick & Co. London' on the back plate. It retains its original metal watch dial, which features black Roman numerals and a minute track, and is mounted to the rear wall of the dolls' house kitchen. The movement serves as a fixed decorative element rather than a functioning timepiece within the context of the dolls' house display.
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
- Type
- Other component
- Maker
- Mrs Felicity A. Clemons
- Dating
- 1940s
- Signed
- Kilpatrick & Co. London
- Dimensions
- 33 mm width, 8 mm height
- Place recorded
- Australia
- Original context
- Reused wrist watch clock face
- Maker / attribution
- Kilpatrick & Co.
- Registration number
- HT 25767
Design
- Visible features
- • The dial features black Roman numerals and a secondary 5-60 minute track. • The movement back plate is engraved 'Kilpatrick & Co. London' and numbered '12775'. • A central serial number '12775' is present on the front dial. • The component shows evidence of previous use as a functioning watch mechanism.
- Condition and Installation
- The object is documented as a fixed component of the dolls' house kitchen. Its mounting position on the center of the back wall serves as a permanent decorative element rather than a functional clock, as the remaining parts of the movement are obscured by the wall fixture. The dial surface shows signs of historical wear consistent with its previous life as a timepiece. The museum record notes that the dimensions were confirmed through conservation measurements to ensure accurate documentation within the collection's wider dolls' house catalogue.
- Construction and Inscriptions
- The mechanism is a metal watch movement that has been repurposed for display. The front dial displays Roman numerals I through XII, alongside a circular minute scale marked in five-unit increments. The central dial surface is marked with the number 12775. The reverse of the movement displays the same serial number, 12775, alongside the inscription 'Kilpatrick & Co. London'. This indicates the original origin of the movement before its integration into the dolls' house ensemble.
- Object Identification and Provenance
- The object is identified as a clock face sourced from a wrist watch, installed as a fixture in the kitchen of the 'Pendle Hall' dolls' house. Registered under number HT 25767 by Museums Victoria, it forms part of a collection of miniature furnishings curated by Felicity A. Clemons in Tasmania. The dolls' house project was initiated during the 1940s by Mrs. Clemons, aiming to create a grand, four-storey, Georgian-style structure. The kitchen clock was specifically placed in the basement's central section to provide interior detail. The item was acquired by the museum in 2010 through the Cultural Gifts Program.
Identification
- Serial number
- 12775
- 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: The exact production date of the original watch movement is not specified.
- Research required: The movement's functional status within the dolls' house context is not explicitly confirmed.