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Horology Collection
Image: Regulator clock (1865)
Source: Museum Victoria
The museum holds a significant collection of over 600 clocks and watches, dating from the 17th century to the present. It includes classic works in the history of timekeeping: a 1630s German table clock, beautiful watches by preeminent 18th century British and French makers, and accurate astronomical regulators. There are items of local historical significance, such as the No.1 clock of the Victorian Railways, installed in 1858, and common items, such as domestic alarm clocks.
Incredibly, this diverse collection resulted predominantly from the passions and generosity of two men, neither of whom were employed by the museum. Like several other museum collections, the horology collection owes its existence and breadth to a partnership between the museum and independent collectors in the community. Collector John Askew began lending clocks and watches to the museum from 1920, and donated much of the collection in 1941. Watchmaker Joseph Lowy began to actively lend and donate items from the late 1940s, and was appointed an honorary curator from 1953 to his death in 1979.
From 1952 the horological collection was displayed in full in a new set of showcases in Barry Gallery at the old museum building in Swanston Street. Visitors to the museum could explore a clear explanation of the history of timekeeping, from sundials to the latest electronic watch. Although the emphasis was on technical developments, many of the clocks and watches in the collection are beautiful examples of the decorative arts.
The current emphasis is on acquiring watches and clocks that have a Victorian and Australian historical significance or association.
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 1 - 10) 113 items
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Negative - Joseph Lowy, Honorary Curator of Horology, 1970s
Photograph of Joseph Lowy, Melbourne watchmaker, who was appointed Honorary Curator of Horology to the Museum of Applied Science (later Science Museum of Victoria) in 1953, retaining th ...
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Negative - Joseph Lowy, Honorary Curator of Horology, 1970s
Photograph of Joseph Lowy, Melbourne watchmaker, who was appointed Honorary Curator of Horology to the Museum of Applied Science (later Science Museum of Victoria) in 1953, retaining th ...
Images: 3 -
Negative - Addressing Crows at Equal Pay Protest, Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne, Victoria ...
Black and white negative depicting a woman at a lectern inside the Melbourne Town Hall protesting for equal pay for women on 20 February 1969. This image is one of approximately 85,000 ...
Images: 1 -
Photograph - Gala Day Celebrations, Street Scene, by Jack Walton, Ballarat, Victoria, 1939
Black and white image of a street with buildings decorated for a street parade.
From: Ballarat, Australia Images: 1 -
Glass Negative - Pendulum Gravity Apparatus, Melbourne Observatory, South Yarra, Victoria, ...
Pendulum gravity apparatus erected in an office at Melbourne Observatory. This was probably taken in 1893, when Pietro Baracchi made observations for comparison with those made at Green ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 1 -
Negative - Children Watching Early Model Television Set, Eaglemont, 1959
Black and white 5" x 4" negative showing three young children watching a floor console television set in their lounge room in Eaglemont, 20 August 1959. This was one of the earliest TV ...
From: Eaglemont, Australia Images: 1 -
Photograph - Gala Day Celebrations, Street Scene, by Jack Walton, Ballarat, Victoria, 1938
Black and white image of a street scene with buildinigs decorated as part of a street parade.
From: Ballarat, Australia Images: 1 -
Negative - Sydney, New South Wales, 1933
The Biggest Family Album of Australia, Museum Victoria
From: Sydney, Australia Images: 1 -
Negative - Town Hall, Melbourne, Victoria, circa 1880
The Biggest Family Album of Australia, Museum Victoria
From: Melbourne, Australia Images: 1 -
No Image Available
Receipt - Pocket Watch, John Bennett, London, 1881
Receipt issued by John Bennett, Watch Clock and Instrument Maker, 65 Cheapside, London, England, to Mr Coleman, Ealing, 26 May 1881. The receipt is for a silver lever pocket watch (reg ...
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 0
