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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Clock · Lantern clock

Lantern clock by Peter Stretch

Partially verified

This lantern clock is the work of Peter Stretch (1670–1746), dating from 1691 to 1702. The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes the timepiece as being constructed from brass, iron, and bronze, with lead and modern rope components. The clock stands at 14 inches high with a width and depth of 10 inches. Its architecture follows the traditional lantern clock design, a weight-driven form that served as an early domestic timekeeping device. The dial features intricate engraved floral motifs and bears the maker's signature and location, "Peter Stretch Leek." The mechanism is enclosed within a brass case capped by a bell under a decorative frame. This specimen is currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, having been acquired through the Sansbury-Mills and Richard Hampton Jenrette Americana Funds.

Front view of the lantern clock showing the brass dial and decorative bell housing.
Front view of the lantern clock showing the brass dial and decorative bell housing. — The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Sansbury-Mills and Richard Hampton Jenrette Americana Funds, 2023. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Clock · Lantern clock
Maker / attribution
Peter Stretch
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
2023.302a–i
Source-reported date
1691–1702
Source-reported place
England

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Construction and Design

The clock is constructed with a brass case that houses the weight-driven mechanism. It incorporates various metals including iron and bronze, with lead elements forming part of the weighted assembly. Modern rope is utilized within the movement.

The aesthetic design includes an ornate engraved dial featuring detailed floral scrolling and the signature of the maker. The upper section of the clock is surmounted by a bell protected by a decorative openwork frame.

Evidence for this section
  • “Brass, iron, bronze; rope (modern), lead.”
  • “Lantern clocks were weight-driven antique wall clocks shaped like lanterns”

Signatures and Identification

The face of the clock is prominently inscribed with the name of the maker and the location of manufacture. The text "Peter Stretch Leek" is engraved directly into the brass dial, indicating the maker's association with Leek, Staffordshire.

The object is catalogued by the Metropolitan Museum of Art under the accession number 2023.302a–i, reflecting its provenance and formal institutional identification.

Evidence for this section
  • “Peter Stretch L”
  • “The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this object as 2023.302a–i”

Provenance and Documentation

This lantern clock is currently preserved within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its acquisition was supported by the Sansbury-Mills and Richard Hampton Jenrette Americana Funds in 2023.

Institutional records attribute the piece to Peter Stretch, placing it within the historical context of early American clockmaking and scientific instrument production, despite the Leek, Staffordshire geographic inscription on the dial.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Sansbury-Mills and Richard Hampton Jenrette Americana Funds, 2023”
  • “1670–1746), who was among the most prominent early American clockmakers and among the first makers of scientific instruments in America.”

Open research questions

  • Reconcile the Leek, Staffordshire inscription with the museum's American attribution of the maker
  • Identify the specific intended function of the lead components within the primary clock movement

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Lantern clock by Peter Stretch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerPeter Stretch“Peter Stretch”
Date1691–1702“1691–1702”
MaterialsBrass, iron, bronze, lead, rope“Brass, iron, bronze; rope (modern), lead.”
Dimensions14 x 10 x 10 in.“14 × 10 × 10 in. (35.6 × 25.4 × 25.4 cm).”
Museum Object Number2023.302a–i“2023.302a–i”
Signed LocationLeek“Peter Stretch L”

Visible details

  • Engraved floral pattern on the central dial area
  • Signature reading 'Peter Stretch Leek' on the dial
  • Modern rope visible within the internal mechanism
  • Bell positioned atop the clock case within a decorative frame

Research qualifications

  • The classification as 'American' by the museum versus the signature 'Leek' requires further historical reconciliation
  • The extent to which this individual object represents the wider category remains unverified

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Lantern clock, Peter Stretch, 1691–1702

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record ce82eb806a

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

Other lantern clock records