Accession No
2582
Brief Description
chronometer, in gimbal and fitted box, by Victor Kullberg, English, 1880 (c)
Origin
England; London; Islington; 105 Liverpool Road
Maker
Kullberg, Victor
Class
mechanical horology
Earliest Date
1880
Latest Date
1880
Inscription Date
Material
metal (brass, steel, silver); wood; ivory; glass
Dimensions
box breadth 205mm; depth 206mm; height 224mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Transferred from Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, 06/1980.
Inscription
‘VICTOR KULLBERG, Maker to the Admiralty ...
105 Liverpool Rd London N’ (on dial)
‘4104’ (on dial)
‘VICTOR KULLBERG, 105 Liverpool Rd.
Islington. LONDON NO 4104’ (on box)
Description Notes
Chronometer, in gimbal and fitted box, by Victor Kullberg, English, c. 1880.
8-day marine chronometer. Movement with spotted plates, reversed fusee. Earnshaw spring detent escapement, compensation balance, oversprung with palladium balance spring with terminal curves. Brass bowl slung in gimbals in wooden box with inlaid brass decoration, brass handles, ivory maker’s plate, and glazed observation window. Brass winding key, steel locking key. Certificate from Hydrographic Office. Chronometer Department, Herstmonceux, 30-10-1970 (in file). Silvered 24-hour dial with Arabic numerals. Subsidiary seconds and up and down indicator. Small section cut from dial; modification for taking seconds pulse. Screw-on glazed bezel.
References
Events
Description
Chronometers are very accurate clocks which were taken on board ship as a means to find longitude. A ‘Two Day’ chronometer is one that must be wound every two days.
The chronometer is set to show time at the port of departure, and during the voyage is compared with the ship’s local time as given by the sun. The earth rotates around its axis – 360° in longitude – every 24 hours, or 15° every hour. Thus a difference of four minutes between the time shown by the chronometer and local time by the sun is equal to a change of 1° of longitude.
04/08/2008
Created by: Dr Anita McConnell on 04/08/2008
FM:42770
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