Curator's Chronicles Hello Clocktimers! In Edinburgh during the autumn, we get crisp sunny days with light reflecting off the sandstone buildings. This ‘Edinburgh light’ is magic and is one of the things I love about autumn. I also love the ramping up of projects and how there are so many events on the horological calendar. I’m looking forward to the annual Dingwall-Beloe Horological Lecture at the British Museum in London. There’s a real buzz at this event, and the entire horological community comes out in force. This year’s lecture is on Tuesday 28 October, 19:00, in the Museum’s Great Court. It’s free to attend; however, booking is essential. This year’s Dingwall-Beloe lecturer is the eminent American horologist, Bob Frishman, who is a scholar, author, restorer and founder of Bell-Time Clocks in Andover Massachusetts. His lecture, ‘American Superiority at the 1851 Great Exhibition’, explores the Great Exhibition’s horological offerings and efforts to assert the importance of exhibits from the US. I met Bob earlier this summer at the NAWCC Convention when he signed my copy of his award-winning book Edward Duffield: Philadelphia Clockmaker, Citizen, Gentleman, 1730-1803. Recently, I asked him about his upcoming lecture. Bob explains that a few years ago, he was telling British Museum Curator Oli Cooke about his research on Americans at the Great Exhibition. To his surprise, Oli immediately suggested that this should be a Dingwall-Beloe lecture. Bob adds, “After traveling from Massachusetts to attend these prestigious and historic lectures in the past, I am honoured to have been invited to speak.” This is a must-see event, as American clockmaking has an interesting relationship to British clockmaking. There are many synergies but American clockmaking also went its own way in many respects, especially during and in the aftermath of the American Revolution, when this new country was demonstrably estranged from its former colonial overseer and cut off from British trade. If you can’t make it to London, Bob is giving three other UK lectures. The first is at Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Derby on 22 October at 13:30. He’ll be talking about Edward Duffield. Find out more here. The second is at the American Museum & Gardens in Bath on 24 October at 14:30. Bob’s talk will focus on 18th Century American clockmaking. Finally, he will be speaking at the AHS Southern Section meeting at West Dean College, near Chichester on 25 October at 14:00. Enjoy the autumn light and I hope to see you out and about. In the meantime, I wish you all excellent timing. Kristin Leith
