A RARE early 19TH CENTURY JAPANESE SHITAN WOOD SHAKU DOKEI timepiece IN ORIGINAL CASE WITH complete set of calendar plates
Kanshutei (寛集亭), 1827
The shaped aperture for hanging on the wall above a front glazed hood and a long trunk terminating in a key drawer with key. The seven interchangeable brass inlaid time/calendar plates with pierced brass pointer connected to the hidden lead weight. The movement with floral engraved front plate flanked by two decorative turned brass pillars, the verge escapement with balance wheel and elaborately turned crown wheel post. Sold with the original transport/presentation box and a green silk storage pouch for the calendar plates when not in use. 45.5cms (17.5ins) high. The box 47cms (18.5ins) long.
Footnotes:
Beginning in 1873 Japan converted their national time system from variable hours tracking the seasons to equally divided hours. Before this date, most clocks made in Japan had dials and striking that reflected a day being variably divided into six toki during the day, and six during the night. The exact length of the toki would vary depending on season; however, there would always be six divisions in both day and night. The numbers used to refer to each toki were a sequence from 4-9 with 9 representing midnight, 6 representing dawn down to 4, before repeating the sequence with 9 representing midday and 6 representing dusk; the numerals would all be represented by animals as well, though twelve animals were used so that in conversation 'the toki of the Horse' clearly referred to 9 during the day (or Noon), whereas 'the toki of the Rat' was 9 during the night (midnight). The Shaku-dokei were adapted to account for the temporal hours by either having movable toki plaques or having replacement toki plates which would be replaced every 13 days or so to account for the variability. This was usually done by a 'clock doctor' who would know which plate to use, however, later clocks would have numbered plates, to let the owner know when each plate should be removed.
This is the case for the clock being offered; each toki plate is labelled at the top with one or two different months, and whether the plate belongs to 節 (setsu, the commencement of the 'month') or 中 (chūki or chū-setsu, the midpoint of the month). It is rare to have a complete set of plates with these clocks as they tended to be lost or discarded once equal hour time was mandated, the clocks being regarded as outdated and of little value. This clock likely dates to before 1873, as the toki plates are of unequal hours, but is a later example, as it has a balance wheel escapement, rather then foliot, as well as 'month' specific toki plates. Beyond this, dating is notoriously difficult as the clocks would be made a single individual; there were no mass-produced movements which where then finished, or a network of individuals making a single component. One individual made every component, meaning that style and form would be partially at the whim of the maker and partially at the whim of the client.

The lid of the box is labelled 'Mulberry box with lid seven panels shaku dokei', with the back of one of the panels being labelled with the date, '10th month in the 10th year of Bunsei era' (1827 by the modern Gregorian calendar) and the maker's name, Kanshutei, below. This translation was courtesy of Yoko Chino, Junior Specialist of Japanese Art at Bonhams.

Provenance-Sold in these rooms 12 December 2018, Lot 102

Strachan, A. WADOKEI.ORG: Sharing a passion for Japanese Edo Period Clocks. Available at: https://wadokei.org/ (Accessed 9 May 2022).

Japan Reference (2019) The Japanese Calendar. Available at:https://jref.com/articles/the-japanese-calendar.479/ (Accessed: 10 May 2022)

National Diet Library of Japan (2016) Unriddling the Daisho-reki Calendar. Available at:https://www.ndl.go.jp/koyomi/e/quiz/index.html (Accessed: 10 May 2022).