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OLD WATCH MAKER'S and CLOCK MAKER'S TOOLS

Volunteer Jon Edwards August 2007
Volunteer Jon Edwards August 2007

Our Museum acquired by donation in 2001 a large collection of more than two hundred old tools used by clockmakers and watchmakers.  Some unique tools have patent dates as far back as the mid to late 1800s.

Since 2001, other tools have been obtained through both donation and purchase, plus a large ca. 1900 roll-top oak work bench.  The belt-drive lathe on the bench is operated by means of an 1895 patent flywheel and foot pedal.

During the summer of 2007 young volunteer Jonathan Edwards identified, labelled, photographed, and catalogued most of the tools.  He then designed and set up an exhibit (shown here, now replaced by some Canadian-made 1950s glass tubes clock radios) of representative tools for the main display case in the museum's Exhibit Room.

In June of 2012 summer student Nick Speranzini chose examples from the museum's many old hand watchmakers' tools to set up a display in a ca. 1940s H. Gerstner & Sons (Dayton, Ohio) wood tool chest.  The drawers are labeled and the tools numbered for identification with a legend mounted in the lid.  Visitors are invited to carefully pull the drawers open to view the tools and related horological items.

 A work bench and the tools used for decades in the mid 20th century by Max Silverman in his Ottawa shop, Dominion Jewellers, were received in March 2015.  Our museum acknowledges Max's nephew Joe Silverman and long time friend Andre Blais for their generous donation.  You won't believe the tiny size of some of the watch screws and ruby bushings in their spare parts containers!

See pictures of some of our tools in the Galleries section.