Day 2 at the NAWCC

Another very good day at the Convention. I visited the mart for a few hours and saw a rather nice 8 day movement  with wooden wheels made by Hoadly early 1800's , it was far too much for me to think about buying, priced at over $1000, but of course that is the asking price, not what might be the eventual selling price.

I had some very good conversations with people on the sales tables.  I met an ex West Dean  clocks student and lots of interesting and friendly people.

I attend a lecture by Phillip Priestly about the impact of the american watch industry on the british watch industry, while on the face of it, the subject is not much to do with my research, quite the reverse is true,  in fact  Phillip touched on a number of factors that have a definite impact on my research. In particular the free flow of  activity in the early 1800 back and forth, to and from the USA England the the mainland of Europe. This free flow is clearly documented,   american workman trained in the USA   did more training in  England  and also in Europe.

American watchmakers  / business men  bought factories in  the UK to try and make watches  using american  mass production methods in the UK for the European market?  They also returned to the USA  often, bought machinery in Europe and America for their factories. If this is true for  watch makers then why not for clockmakers?.

More mart work in the later afternoon.

I also visited the craft competition and spoke with a couple of the  competition winners one had made a very interesting lyre shaped musical clock, the other  had made lots of cutters for making wood mouldings,

I had a very interesting conversation with a Canadian clockmaker who had masterminded the reconstruction of an American wood wheeled movement for the Governor Generals Office in Ottowa. We had a very long chat and made some very useful contacts.

I attended the National Convention Banquet and the awards ceremony

Then back to the choo choo.