|
Speculations
on the historical
backgrounds
of the
COSTER-FROMANTEEL
Notarial Act.
Table of contents:
Introduction.
Opinions
& Speculations floating Table. (ost)
Footnotes.
Links:
Compilation
of the Coster-Fromanteel notarial Act.
Source document,
P1
P2
The Coster Fromanteel Contract. The Van
der Horst transcription working sheet. (also
PDF)
Chr.
Huygens' Œuvres Complètes.
(pdf)
Chr.
Huygens Horologium 1658. (pdf)
26
"The
historic Contract, between Salomon Coster and John Fromanteel, remains
curious and by no means understood, but is only one of the many
unresolved enigmas in the history of European horology."
Keith Piggott.
"I am aware of the fact that we will never be absolutely certain about
the incentives of the
visit by Coster and Fromanteel to Mr. de Putter's
(notarial)
office."
Frits van Kersen.
INTRODUCTION
It is commonly believed that Christiaan Huygens whas
the first to combine a
pendulum with a verge clock in 1656. In June 1657 he had a pendulum clock
most likely made by Salomon Coster and patented in the United Provinces (the Netherlands),
and it was published in his 'Horologium' in 1658.
Fig. 1 (click for more)
Christian Huygens. 1629-1695
The improvement was so dramatic that
other clockmakers followed suit. Huygens permitted Salomon Coster to
provide training on pendulum clocks to foreign clockmakers. John Fromanteel, son of Ahasuerus,
a London clockmaker was one of them.
This page is about the Notarial Act (contract)
between Coster and Fromanteel (Sept. 1657) which enabled Fromanteel
to learn about the new and famous pendulum clocks.
Or was it John
Fromanteel as a sub-contractor, who's father already (?) made his own
less successful version of the pendulum clock, who was to disclose a secret to
Coster (and Huygens) ?
Neither do we know whether or not the contract was satisfactory
fulfilled by both parties or informally abandoned before the end of
the term ?
End
End
of this section, click here to continue.
Footnotes & Further reading.
1.
Municipal Archives, The Hague, Notarial Archive.
Beheers №372, Inventaris №322, Folio 409 & 409 verso. (back
to text)
2.
Dr. R.
Plomp, Spring driven Dutch pendulum clocks 1657-1710.
(Schiedam: Interbook International B.V., 1979)
(back
to text)
3. R. D. Dobson.
‘Huygens. the Secret in the Coster-Fromanteel Contract, the
Thirty-Hour Clock, in: Antiquarian Horology. Vol. 12. No. 2.
Summer 1980. P. 193-196. (back
to text)
4.
Hans van den Ende, Dr Frits van Kersen, Maria F. van Kersen-Halbertsma,
Dr John C. Taylor and Neil R. Taylor, Huygens’ Legacy, catalogue of
an exhibition held at Paleis Het Loo, (Castletown, Isle of Man: Fromanteel
Ltd, 2004), (back
to text)5.
Chr. Huygens, Œuvres Complètes de Christiaan Huygens,
(The Hague: M. Nijhofl’, 1888-1950), Vol.17, pp.21-22.
(go
to) (back
to text)
5a Chr.
Huygens, Œuvres Complètes de Christiaan Huygens, (The Hague: M.
Nijhofl’, 1888-1950), 2 no. 565.
(back
to text)
6.
E.L. Edwardes, the suspended Foliot and new Lights
on early Pendulum Clocks’, Antiquarian Horology, 12/6, June, 1981.
(back
to text)
7.
E.L. Edwardes and R. D. Dobson, ‘The Fromanteels and the Pendulum Clock’,
Antiquarian Horology, 14/3, September, 1983.
(back
to text)
8. R.
D. Dobson. De slinger als tijdmeter. Een nieuwe visie op de
ontwikkeling van de slinger als tijdmeter in de periode van
1602-1660. Galileo Galilei- Ahasuerus Fromanteel -
Christiaan Huygens. Achterland Verlagscompagnie. Bocholt
Bredevoort/Uitgeverij Fagus, Aalten.
(back
to text)
9. E.L. Edwardes, The Story of
the Pendulum (‘lock, (Altrincham, John Shcrrart & Son Ltd., 1977), p.58-59
(back
to text)
10, Frits van Kersen, ‘The Coster-Fromanteel
Contract Re-examined’, Antiquarian Horology,
28/5, March 2005, p.561-7. (back
to text)
11,
B. Loomes, Complete British clocks, (Newton Abbot: 1978),
pp.43ff. (back
to text)
12. E.G.
Aghib and J.H. Leopold, ‘More About the Elusive Fromanteel’, Antiquarian
Horology, 8/8, September
1974, 890ff. (back
to text)
13. According to J.H.
Leopold Coster was a Baptist because he did not have his young children
baptized, and because his widow did the administration of the small
Baptist community in The Hague for many years (see: Municipal Archives
The Hague, Archief Doopsgezinde Gemeente). For more on Coster see: J.H.
Leopold, ‘Een Reishorloge door Salomon Coster’, Jaarverslag Kon. Oudheidkundig
Genootschap, 119-123 (1976-1981), 72-76. for Fromanteel’s religion see
note 12.14
(back
to text)
14.
J.H. Leopold, 'Some more notes on the Coster-Fromanteel contract', Antiquarian
Horology, 5/28, March 2005, 568-570
(back
to text)
15. 1 Caroli Guilder =
20 sols = 1 Flemish pound (lb) = 1.8 guilder.
(back
to text)
16. In spite of
various speculations, it most likely is to unfold the
secret engineering aspects on how to construct pendulum clockworks.
See also 'ost'. Editor's note.
(back
to text)
17, Hans Kreft. Rediscovering
the Fromanteel story. Translated and adapted for the Horological Foundation
website by R.K.Piggott. (go
to) (back
to text)
18 ‘The Fromanteels and the Pendulum Clock’,
Antiquarian Horology. (June 1984), 632-633.
(back
to text)
19 Dr. R. Plomp. The Dutch
extraction of the Fromanteel family. Antiquarian Horology,
sept. 1971.
p 320-372. (back
to text)
20 R.D. Dobson, ‘The Development of the Pendulum
Clock. 1656-1659’, in: Antiquarian Horology, Vol. 13, No. 3,
March 1982, P. 270-281. (back
to text)
21 E.L. Edwardes and R.D. Dobson. ‘The Fromanteels and the
Pendulum Clock’, in: Antiquarian Horology, Vol. 14, No. 3,
Sept. 1983, p. 250-265. (back
to text)
22 R.D. Dobson, ‘Galileo Galilei and Christiaan Huygens’,
in: Antiquarian Horology. Vol. 15, No. 3, March l985,p.
261-270. (back
to text)
23 Dr. R. Plomp. The Dutch origin of
the French pendulum clock. What we can learn from Christiaan
Huygens' correspondence. 1657-1664. Antiquarian Horology,
dec. 1972. p 24-40. (back
to text)
24 Dr. R. Plomp. The Dutch
influences in French clockmaking and visa-versa in the
latter half of the seventeenth century. Antiquarian Horology,
dec. 1974. p 28-45. (back
to text)
25
Keith Piggott. The Coster Fromanteel contract, its continued place in
modern scholarship. A paper on the possible pre-1657
introduction of pendulum clocks in England. THF website
Sept. 2005. (go
to)
(back
to text)
26 English translation by Ernest L.
Edwardes in Antiquarian Horology Volume 7, No. 1, December
1970. (back
to text)
27 Paper by A.J.(Alan) Emmerson, Jan.
2005: Things are seldom what they seem. Christiaan Huygens
the Pendulum and the Cycloid. (go
to pdf doc.)
p 12: ..."So we are left with the simple fact that some time
before 16 June 1657 Huygens, Coster and van Call produced a
working pendulum controlled clock. We do not really know
what it looked like. Distribution of credit between Huygens
and Coster remains unresolved. These events, though, suggest
that Coster may have contributed substantially to the design
of the working pendulum clock. While this first Coster clock
just may have had chops, they would not have been cycloidal,
other than by coincidence".
(back
to text)
28 Comment by
Alan Emmerson, March 24 2006.
(back
to text)
|
back to text.
|
Back to previous section.
OPINIONS & SPECULATIONS
TABLE. (ost)
It is interesting to observe the many
opinions and speculations in articles, private deliberations and
meetings on this subject.
The table below is to organize their various aspects and to rank
(yes it's rather risky and arbitrary!) their possible likeliness.
Hopefully this table provides a low treshold for all those willing
to contribute with even more
opinions/speculations or comments. The Horological Foundation will
gladly update the 'floating content' of this table with any brief and relevant contributions from readers.
Contact:
mail@antique-horology.org
| |
Tip:
table
Point your mouse to a character, number or
bullet to get
it explained,
or click it for more. |
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B |
L |
P |
U |
| 1 |
Coster and Fromanteel had socially much in common. |
9 |
● |
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| 2 |
We may assume that John had command of the Dutch language, which might
explain why this contract is in Dutch.
19 |
10 |
● |
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| 3 |
There was no condition for Fromanteel to acknowledge Huygens as inventor of the pendulum clock/system. |
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| 4 |
Fromanteel already made pendulum clocks in England and, as
production reference, brought samples to Coster. So he was well
capable to negotiate his wages for labor and
material. Line 18 of the
contract: ..'like he Fromanteel already has made
some'. |
13 |
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● |
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| 5 |
Fromanteel, already being a capable maker, required not much
training attention. |
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| 6 |
There was no fee,
due to Huygens for each clock sold by Coster, |
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● |
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| 7 |
There was an 'unofficial fee', due to Huygens for each clock
sold by Coster. |
3 |
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● |
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| 8 |
Fromanteel was a sub-contractor rather than being Coster's
employee, and there was no condition for him to make a minimum
number of movements before the end of the term. |
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● |
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| 9 |
The cases and dials did not cost more than the movements. |
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● |
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10 |
Fromanteel was to make complete (?) movements for 20 caroli
guilders, Coster sold the complete clocks for 80
(?) caroli guilders24.
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14 |
● |
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11 |
The contract does not mention any fees or restrictions for
Fromanteel to make or market pendulum clocks in England. |
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12 |
Considering the fixed price as agreed with Coster, Fromanteel was to make only one
type of movements.
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6 |
● |
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12
A |
Before agreeing to a fixed price, Fromanteel, as a test, made a
few timepieces under Coster's supervision. (..like he Fromanteel has already made some..). |
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About the secret:
|
B |
L |
P |
U |
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13 |
A secret was to be disclosed by Fromanteel in stead of by Coster.
25 |
12 |
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14 |
Although being apparent and effective in the movements made by Fromanteel,
the secret's mathematical aspects were not readily
detectable. |
1
15 |
● |
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|
15 |
The secret was in the verge being horizontal, i.e. perpendicular
to the movement plates. |
11
7 |
|
|
● |
|
16 |
The secret was in the one tooth/pin driven stopwork on the
barrel, or the double train barrel, or an endless rope arrangement
8,
or amplitude restriction constructions, or any other readily
detectable aspects.
|
1
7
8 |
|
|
● |
|
17 |
The secret was in the engineering aspects on how to construct
the pendulum arrangement, i.e. pendulum length calculations and
the (not yet cycliodal) cheek or chop curve features for a given
pendulum length.
10 |
1
16
15 |
● |
● |
|
17
A |
Although Huygens had experimented with curved plates (cheek or chop
curves) in 1657 and 1658 ()
he was unable to determine the correct shape and he appears to
have temporarily abandoned the idea in favour of the pirouette
mechanism depicted in Horologium. It was not until December 1659
that Huygens analytically determined that the plates should be
cycloidal. Thus at the time of the contract there was no
"secret" to be revealed about the shape of the plates.
28
|
17 |
|
● |
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|
18 |
Coster provided a 'cheek or chop curve template' for Fromanteel to make
the curved plates, thus
avoiding premature revelation of the secret mathematical aspects
of the curve. |
1
15 |
|
● |
|
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19 |
Fromanteel was to make incomplete movements for 20
caroli guilders, Coster was to finish the incomplete movements,
which then were to be kept out of Fromanteel's sight. 14 |
1
2
15
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● |
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20 |
Neither Huygens nor Fromanteel have filed a patent
application in England |
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● |
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21 |
Huygens did not apply for a patent in England because it
was doomed to fail |
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22 |
Instead of a patent application in England, Huygens
arranged Fromanteel to work at Coster. |
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L |
P |
U |
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likeliness
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Legends: |
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likely (L) |
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perhaps (P) |
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unlikely (U) |
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evidently |
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perhaps likely |
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perhaps unlikely |
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back to table. |
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Table footnotes.
Possible
Backgrounds: (B)
back to table
b1.
The secret was in the
work that he Fromanteel will make "(and the secret therein
existing)"
(back to table)
b2.
Fromanteel could mail a sketches
and specifications to his father in London.
(back to table)
b3.
History is more than its
appearance in official documents!?
(back to table)
b4.
Separate mounting of the pendulum
suspension (with cheeks), independent from the verge cock.
(see
example)
(back to table)
b5. There is no secret in a verge escapement, as
it occurs already in earlier clocks and watches.
(back to table)
b6.
Presumably the 30 hour spring driven time piece
version.
Or the weight driven 30
hours (48 guilders) version?
(back to table)
b7.
Hard to keep it secret
till the end of the period if you are to make these parts
already during the period.
(back to table)
b8.
Similar stopwork
arrangements occured already in renaissance watches and
earlier square table clocks by Coster.
Not a significant secret (?)
(back to table)
b9.
For they were both Baptists
(Mennists) and shared the same profession,13
(back to table)
b10.
We
learned that John's father Ahasuerus was bi-lingual in
English and Dutch
14
(back to table)
b11.
A
verge being perpendicular to the movement plates, was common
practice in Renaissance
watches and horizontal table clocks.
Huygens' oldest sketch of his pendulum arrangement shows the
balance of, a horizontal table clock put in a vertical
position.23
(back to table)
b12. 'No'
according to van der Horst, 'Yes' according to Piggott/van
Lieshout.
More.
(back to table)
b13
According to van Kersen
this means no more than that Fromanteel had made some clocks
in Coster's workshop before Sept. 3rd.
(back to table)
b14
A commercial opportunity.
(back to table)
b15
The secret was not to be revealed before
the end of the contract period.
(back to table)
b16
Indispensable for future
independent manufacturing of pendulum clocks by Fromanteel.
(back to table)
b17
It is not sure whether or not other
than 'cycloidal' chop curves could rank as a 'secret' for
Huygens at this early stage of development (Sept. 1657). The
curved chops (cheeks) appeared already on the clocks made by
Coster at the time of the contract, hence their current
curves were assumed to be part of the 'know how' exchanged
between Coster and Fromanteel.
(back to table)
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back to text.
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