Development of clocks forms
The clocks and watches are
exhibited in the five halls on the first floor. They show the change of
form cases from Renaissance to Modern Styles. The decoration of all
styles reflects the development of applied - decorative art in general
outline. The style of epoch is reflected not only by the design of
clocks and watches, but also by specially selected works of applied -
decorative and imitative art in each hall. Every hall, on the first
floor, has a colorful background, characterize to the style of certain
epoch. It is created by the color of the walls, curtains and materials
of the stands. The style of epoch in each hall is featured by the
furniture of that period.
Original clocks and watches of 16th 17th centuries are exhibited in
the first hall. The case of silver clock, made in 16th century, is the
pride of the museum. It is considered, that this clock was made of
Vilnius watchmaker guild and was presented as a gift to the manor of
Zygimantas Augustas. The shape and decoration of this clock case
reflects the characteristic features of Renaissance. The clocks and
watches were made of a shape, resembling the buildings or towers.
Hexagonal shape table clocks are exhibited separately. Theodor Tarasowig,
clockmaker of Vilnius, made one of them in 17th century.
The baroque clocks and watches are shown in the other hall. The main
part of this exposition consists of bracket clocks, long case clocks,
and wall and mantel clocks. You can be aquatinted with bracket clocks
made by remarkable English masters Eardley Norton and William Rust. You
can also see long case clock, made by Francis Wells. There is an
interesting 18th century pendule made by Swiss Theodore Perret clock
made in the technique of French master Charles Boulle.
The rococo style clocks and watches are shown in the third hall. The
characteristic features of this style are asymmetrical, but having a
proper balanced and rhythm form, rocaille (shells and rock work) and
sophisticated light line design. The 18th century French mantel
gild-bronze clock with the candlesticks is the exact example of that
time. A German porcelain case clock astonishes by its lightness and
elegance. Some collection of this period watches is exhibited in this
hall.
Classicism revived the traditions of antique art. Moderated by
decorated, symmetrical compositions were spread. Mainly two types of
cases were made at that time: The compositions of different figures
arranged on a rectangle base and clocks mounted in a Doric 'porico'-
style cases. The mantel and table clocks made by French and German
masters are exhibited in this hall. The collection of watches contains
the examples of famous French master Abraham Louis Breguet.
The Eclectic style of the mid 19th and the end 19th century is presented
by table and mantel clocks made by a German firm Lenzkirch and Conrad
Felsing Berlin clockmaker. Their cases reflect the forms of several
intertwined historical epochs. The exposition ends with Modern clocks
and watches, produced at the end of the 19th the beginning of 20th
century. Wall and table clocks of serial produce by German firms 'Gustav
Becker', 'Junghans' are shown in this hall. A big collection of watches
represents the items made in different countries.
Constructions of
timekeeping devices
The clocks and watches
exhibited in the four halls on the first floor show the change of form
cases.
Each part of the development history is illusstrated by engravings,
schemes and explanatory texts, made by Romualdas Martinkus. The history
of of ancient calendars, when the day and night were not divided into
hours is shown in two stands of the first floor. The Primitive Moon,
Moon and Sun and Sun calendars are demonstrated. The models of primitive
wooden Siberian peg and leather South American knotty calendars are
represented there. The description of Sun calendars is supplemented by
interesting original exhibits of calendars, made by Lithuanian folk
masters. Sundials are exhibited in five stands. They are shadow length
and shadow direction vertical and horizontal, spherical and equatorial
sundials. There were created models of Egyptian marble shadow length
sundials and star clocks (nocturnal) of 3000 BC to reveal this theme. A
kinetic stands in the centre of first floor, supplies the exposition of
sundials. Sundials, which are lit up by a lamp, are exhibited on the
turning round plane surface. The movement of a shadow, which falls from
gnomons, grounds the work principle of these clocks.
The exposition of water clocks is shown in the rest stands of the first
floor. The flowing out and flowing in, overflowing water clocks, water
clocks with indirect time indication, water clocks - automatic machines
exposition of water clocks are exhibited. The water clocks had never
been created in Lithuania before. There are not many left in the world.
The models Greek stoneware and the models of Asian countries out flowing
and European overflowing water clocks were created in order to show the
construction of these clocks.
The fire and sand clocks are exhibited in the second hall. Fire clocks
are shown in three stands: fire clocks - wicks, candles and oil lamps.
The models wooden Chinese straight wick's and brass helical wick's fire
clocks, candles of different types (simple and with sound indication),
three types oil lamps were created, because such clocks did not remain
in Lithuania. The original Chinese 19th century censer and two Chinese
vases with the drawings of four seasons of the year are an interesting
addition to the collection of exhibits. Corresponding vases could be
used as the smell clocks.
Sand clocks, from old times until nowadays, are shown in two stands.
Glass was used to make clocks. It is brittle material, thus not a many
of them are left. The models of first sand clocks and sand clocks
models, made from four glasses, were created. According to the subject
plan of the exposition there is foreseen to arrange a big sand clock, in
the centre of a hall, designed by Romualdas Martinkus. It should be
turned upside down, while opening the museum. Sand should fall all the
day, until the museum is closed. Mechanical clocks make the greatest
collection in the Museum. The development of these clocks is shown very
properly. There were no first mechanical time measuring devices with the
verge escapements in the 12th - 14th centuries Lithuania. The model of
such a construction was created to show that. Separate parts of
mechanical clocks: engines - weights and watch-springs, regulators -
pendulums and balances are exhibited there. The original mechanical
clocks of the 13th - 20th centuries and the texts and schemes in the
placards show the development of separate inventions and the development
scientific works in detail. In the stands of balanced clocks, there are
exhibited constructions of different experimental balance models.
Working tower clock of Klaipėda old fire station, which was made in
Berlin in 1856 is exhibited in the centre of a hall. There are two 14th
century standing balance clocks, made in Lithuania stand near to it.
The newest mechanical, electromechanical, electromagnetic, electronic,
quartz and quantum clocks united time measuring systems are presented in
the fourth fall. We plan to put a clock showing the all time of all the
time zones of the world in the centre of this hall. The exposition,
arranged in this way, allows us to see and understand the kinds of
devices used in time measuring and how long and difficult is the way of
their development. The origin comes back to the oldest times of human
history.
