Lewes Clock Exhibition 2014

Christmas Exhibition 2014

A collection of clocks by 12 Lewes clockmakers, c.1730-1830
6th-20th December

Highlights of the “12 Lewes Clocks” exhibition include a rare 8 day longcase clock by the eminent clockmaker Richard Comber, the son of a barber in Cliffe Lewes. He was a maker who was highly respected during his lifetime and his clocks are still avidly sought by collectors today. Comber was apprenticed to William Kemp, a clockmaker who worked in Lewes for over 40 years, taking on eight apprentices and thereby embedding himself in the fabric of the town. The exhibition includes a fine 30 hour longcase clock by him from c.1770.

Other clocks of interest include one by Samuel Ollive, brother-in-law to the famous political activist, Thomas Paine. There is also a fascinating example by John Barnett, which still carries its original trade label. Interestingly, John Barnett took as his apprentice Edward Reeves, in 1837. Reeves later became a photographer in 1858, a family business that is still in existence in Lewes under his descendant Tom Reeves.

The clocks are available to purchase and prices range from £2,500-7,500. To view the clocks in the exhibition, please visit the homepage and visit the Lewes Clocks section.

To accompany the exhibition, there will be several fine regulators and early lantern clocks on display in our galleries.