I thought I'd hi-jack my Clocks website to advertise my recently published (Dec 2017) book of short stories, 'RATS'.
My excuse being that one of the stories, 'A Twenty-four-and-a-half-hour Day' is about... clocks!
Price direct from me at holmesonthemove@gmail.com is £5.00 plus £1.75 UK postage. If you're outside the UK, email me for the cost of postage to your country.
My excuse being that one of the stories, 'A Twenty-four-and-a-half-hour Day' is about... clocks!
Price direct from me at holmesonthemove@gmail.com is £5.00 plus £1.75 UK postage. If you're outside the UK, email me for the cost of postage to your country.
The much expanded 2nd Edition of the popular 'COMTOISE Ironman and Survivor of the Clock World'
Published November 2016, this latest edition runs to 94 pages (previously 44) and contains more detailed information on the history, development, repair and restoration of Comtoise / Morbier / Morez clocks. Included are maps of the Franche-Comte region, an instructive section on parts of the Comtoise movement, a thorough glossary and a list of Makers, Movers and Shakers. You will find useful facts, figures and photographs relating to the different styles of cases, their construction and the (sometimes quite personal) messages scrawled therein. Also detailed and illustrated are pendulum styles throughout the period and 4 pages on the different designs of brass frontons. Altogether a much more comprehensive work on this subject and an easy but exhaustive workshop manual.
A supplement towards the back of the book briefly outlines the history and styling of the Swedish Mora clock and the Danish Bornholm clock.
Price direct from me at holmesonthemove@gmail.com is £25 + £3.60 UK p&p = £28.60. Or click on the button below.
If you're outside the UK just email first for an accurate cost of postage to your country.
A supplement towards the back of the book briefly outlines the history and styling of the Swedish Mora clock and the Danish Bornholm clock.
Price direct from me at holmesonthemove@gmail.com is £25 + £3.60 UK p&p = £28.60. Or click on the button below.
If you're outside the UK just email first for an accurate cost of postage to your country.
5-star reviews of the 1st Edition from Amazon UK
From David B.
'Such fun to read!'
This 44 page book is a wittily-written overview of Comtoise clocks – their mechanisms, their cases and what makes them special. It celebrates the ordinary nature of these devices, made by “blacksmiths and... agricultural workers with big hands and thick fingers”. It shows us why this type of movement and its case are so fascinating, and even some of the things to look for when trying to date a specific clock.
Generously illustrated with colour photographs, it is NOT a detailed technical manual. It is aimed at the non-specialist who is already interested in clocks [why else would you want to read it?]. Knowledge of basic terms such as ’verge’, ‘anchor’, and ‘striking train’ is assumed, but such terms are very easy to look up. What the book does do is to show possibilities and to whet the appetite to find out more. It explains how this type of clock is not just a standard mechanism like all the others. Instead, it gives the clock individuality - identifiable features characteristic of its type. That I can now see these features means that I enjoy the clock in front of me so much more.
The only downside to the book is that there are a few blank leaves at the back, and from the quality of what went before it cannot be that David Holmes has run out of interesting things to say. I would have liked more.
This book is a labour of love. If you have picked up one of these clocks from an antique dealer or a car boot sale and you want an interesting introduction to what you are looking at, it is ideal – and it was such fun to read!
From Mr. M.J.C.
'A Great Book.'
A great book that helped me repair a Comtoise clock, it is full of easy to understand help and information. Immensely readable and well written.
More reviews
From Richard P.
A very informative book, and a very likeable author!!! Many many thanks!!!!
From Mr. J.C.
Interesting read and well illustrated.
From Mr. M.C.
This my second copy of this brilliant book, I gave my first one away to someone who bought a clock from me that I had restored using your book. Easily the best low cost book about clocks I have ever read.
From David B.
'Such fun to read!'
This 44 page book is a wittily-written overview of Comtoise clocks – their mechanisms, their cases and what makes them special. It celebrates the ordinary nature of these devices, made by “blacksmiths and... agricultural workers with big hands and thick fingers”. It shows us why this type of movement and its case are so fascinating, and even some of the things to look for when trying to date a specific clock.
Generously illustrated with colour photographs, it is NOT a detailed technical manual. It is aimed at the non-specialist who is already interested in clocks [why else would you want to read it?]. Knowledge of basic terms such as ’verge’, ‘anchor’, and ‘striking train’ is assumed, but such terms are very easy to look up. What the book does do is to show possibilities and to whet the appetite to find out more. It explains how this type of clock is not just a standard mechanism like all the others. Instead, it gives the clock individuality - identifiable features characteristic of its type. That I can now see these features means that I enjoy the clock in front of me so much more.
The only downside to the book is that there are a few blank leaves at the back, and from the quality of what went before it cannot be that David Holmes has run out of interesting things to say. I would have liked more.
This book is a labour of love. If you have picked up one of these clocks from an antique dealer or a car boot sale and you want an interesting introduction to what you are looking at, it is ideal – and it was such fun to read!
From Mr. M.J.C.
'A Great Book.'
A great book that helped me repair a Comtoise clock, it is full of easy to understand help and information. Immensely readable and well written.
More reviews
From Richard P.
A very informative book, and a very likeable author!!! Many many thanks!!!!
From Mr. J.C.
Interesting read and well illustrated.
From Mr. M.C.
This my second copy of this brilliant book, I gave my first one away to someone who bought a clock from me that I had restored using your book. Easily the best low cost book about clocks I have ever read.
Other books...
This is the Comtoise bible. Everything - that is, everything - that anyone ever needed or will ever need to know about the origins, developement, manufacture, style, movements, cases, makers, maintenance, repairs and dating of Comtoise clocks is here in this 450-page, full colour, hardback volume.
Out of print since 1991, this much sought-after English language edition rarely comes up for sale. Existing owners are, not surprisingly, very reluctant, to part with them.
Mark Twain once said: "Buy land; they ain't making any more of it". His incisive sentiment could be equally applied to this book.
Brand new and still in original packaging, I have a limited (single figures) stock available for sale.
The price is £120.00 incl. UK postage. To buy: Send your name and address and Paypal payment
to holmesonthemove@gmail.com, or cheque to DAVID HOLMES, Middle Mews Cottage, Marston Road,
Cheltenham GL52 3JQ. N.I. and overseas buyers please click the link below to enquire about postage costs to your country.
Out of print since 1991, this much sought-after English language edition rarely comes up for sale. Existing owners are, not surprisingly, very reluctant, to part with them.
Mark Twain once said: "Buy land; they ain't making any more of it". His incisive sentiment could be equally applied to this book.
Brand new and still in original packaging, I have a limited (single figures) stock available for sale.
The price is £120.00 incl. UK postage. To buy: Send your name and address and Paypal payment
to holmesonthemove@gmail.com, or cheque to DAVID HOLMES, Middle Mews Cottage, Marston Road,
Cheltenham GL52 3JQ. N.I. and overseas buyers please click the link below to enquire about postage costs to your country.
Smaller, more compact, but intensely useful for getting to know more about Comtoise clocks without being overwhelmed by technical detail.
In stock from time to time.
In stock from time to time.