Horology Journal — John Pass 1809 Encyclopaedia Londinensis Improved Clocks & Clock Work Plates

Carry the precision of a golden age—when John Pass engraved the secrets of timekeeping for the world, he turned mechanical genius into art that still stops the clock today.

This hardcover journal celebrates two of the most technically exquisite scientific illustrations of the Georgian era: Horology, Plate XI — Improved Clocks and Horology, Plate IV — Clock Work, both engraved by John Pass (active 1797–1832), a London engraver celebrated for his contributions to encyclopaedic and scientific literature. Published in London by John Wilkes for the Encyclopaedia Londinensis and dated 8 December 1809, these copperplate engravings—hand-coloured with watercolour in luxury editions—were conceived as engineering diagrams for clockmakers, astronomers, and navigators of the age. At a time when horology was a frontier science essential to maritime navigation and astronomical precision, these plates documented the decisive transition from friction-based mechanisms to the refined, efficient systems that would define modern timekeeping.

Front Cover — Horology, Plate XI: Improved Clocks: Numbered diagrams 67 through 75 document the most celebrated clock innovations of the early 19th century. At the right, James Ferguson’s 24-hour clock—designed to indicate tidal movements—displays its elegant face and intricate mechanism. At the left, the single-handed clock attributed to the Smeaton-Franklin tradition offers a study in refined minimalism. Watercolour washes in amber, steel blue, and warm grey differentiate brass from steel, wheel from escapement, face from frame—transforming a technical diagram into a composition of quiet, geometric beauty.

Back Cover — Horology, Plate IV: Clock Work: Numbered diagrams 56 through 62 reveal the hidden world of gears, weight systems, striking bells, escapements, and pendulums in cross-section and elevation. The colour application—functional rather than decorative—uses warm brass tones and cool steel greys to guide the eye through each component with the clarity of a master craftsman’s blueprint. Together with the front cover, the full-wrap design creates an uninterrupted panorama of horological knowledge, flowing from mechanism to instrument across the entire journal.

Why This Journal Inspires:

• Two landmark plates from the Encyclopaedia Londinensis (1809) united in a single full-wrap design—engraved by John Pass, one of Georgian London’s most accomplished scientific illustrators
• Hand-coloured copperplate technique in amber, steel blue, and warm grey—functional beauty at its most enduring
• A tribute to the age when horology was the cutting edge of science, essential to maritime navigation and astronomical precision
• Ferguson’s 24-hour tidal clock and the Smeaton-Franklin single-hand clock—two milestones of Georgian timekeeping on a single cover

Product Details:

• Format: Hardcover journal with matte laminated full-wrap cover
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding that lays flat and flexes for comfortable writing
• Dimensions: 5.5 × 8.5 inches, lightweight and portable
• Weight: 0.1 kg
• Cover: John Pass 1809 copperplate engravings from Encyclopaedia Londinensis, matte finish; small 0.5"x0.5" production barcode on back

Perfect For:

• Horology enthusiasts, clockmakers, and antique watch collectors celebrating the golden age of Georgian timekeeping
• Historians and researchers of Georgian science, technology, and encyclopaedic illustration
• Collectors of rare copperplate engravings and the scientific publishing tradition of Regency London
• Navigators, astronomers, and lovers of precision instruments drawn to the intersection of engineering and fine art
• Design lovers who appreciate the quiet geometric beauty of technical diagrams rendered with an artistic hand
• Thoughtful gift seekers looking for a historically extraordinary journal for academics, curators, and curious minds

Carry the precision of a golden age—open this journal and write in the margins of time, where every second was once a hard-won triumph of human ingenuity.

EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY

Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC

Care instructions: Use a soft, clean and dry cloth to gently brush any dust or dirt off from the center of book outwards.