Case Study

Gilt bronze chiming clock with water automaton and musicians on three sides

18th century

Made in Britain

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In addition to timekeeping, many clocks in the Palace Museum also had various moving and revolving decorations, such as water-simulating glass rods, revolving flowers, moving figures and animals, etc. These automatons require each of its parts to work together in high precision. Conservation of clocks requires lots of time and effort: parts need to be dismantled one by one, then a lot of fixing, testing, readjustment, and installation. Only then can an antique clock be function as it was during the Qing period.

Various parts of the clock

Water-simulating glass rods

Oil painting in the scene box

Timekeeping movement

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