A TREASURY OF AMERICAN CLOCKS.

By Brooks Palmer '23. New York: TheMacmillan Company, 1967. Second printing, 1968. 550 new photographs. List ofmakers. 371 pp. $12.95.

In 1950 Brooks Palmer wrote The Bookof American Clocks, which has had seven printings. This book includes 312 illustrations and biographical data of approximately 6,000 American clock and watch makers. His new work, the Treasury, contains more than 550 photographs not previously published. Many show the entire case as well as a view of the movement of clocks from private collections and nearly 100 from the Henry Ford Museum.

Mr. Palmer has made 32 classifications ranging from the early tall or "grandfather" types to a few of the earliest electric clocks of this century. The majority of the examples were mass produced after the 1820's. The work of later craftsmen is also recognized as of increasing importance owing to the scarcity of earlier objects. Thus between these two volumes the clockmaking of this country is well covered with excellent illustrations and biographical data.

From 1951 to 1953 the author was the third president of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc., which now has an active membership of over 10,000. Because he has also been a contributor to many national magazines of the decorative arts, lectured widely, and served ten years as curator of the New York University Museum of Clocks and Watches and on boards of several museums, he has been given an extraordinary opportunity to observe and assemble data for this book.

The average reader has an interesting 320 pages of pictures to examine with brief descriptions. The advanced collector would like more technical data regarding each example. The final 48 pages provide additional names of makers to those listed in his previous book or hew material about makers with corrections after further biographical research.

There is no question that this book, like its predecessor, will be of great use to the casual reader as well as an important addition to the library of small and large clock collectors. No similar book has been published covering this material and undoubtedly none will be attempted in the foreseeable future as the pair of Palmer's books serves the needs.

Among the organizations to which Mr. Parsons belongs are the New Hampshire Historical Society, the Manchester HistoricAssociation, and the American Clock andWatch Museum, Inc.