| History is not only found in the moldy pages of | | | | ages. |
| history books, in the halls of great museums or in the | | | | Perhaps one of the more famous pieces of antiquity |
| pillars of citadel ruins. No, you can find traces to | | | | are antique timepieces. From golden pocket watches, |
| history in the most unexpected places. Perhaps, in an | | | | ancient marble sundials to stately grandfather clocks |
| old desk covered in bills and papers that date years | | | | that stand in attention against a great wall. It was |
| back. Or perhaps in a classic painting (even a | | | | the Egyptians who were first to grasp the concept |
| reproduction), that hangs obscurely against the wall | | | | of time. They were the first to build sundials. Sundials |
| of a dimly lit hallway in your house. It could be so | | | | are timepieces that were made to tell time by using |
| many things. Take a closer look and these items will | | | | the movement of the great sun god's chariot over |
| speak to you and soon you will learn that there is | | | | the horizon. |
| more to antiques that what they seem at first | | | | During the Middle Ages, Tower clocks stood above |
| glance. | | | | towns and served to be a gentle dictating hand over |
| The term 'antique' is derived from the Latin word | | | | the actions of the people of the towns and cities |
| "antiquus" that is translated to mean "old". Just by | | | | that it shadows. As clocks progressed, we saw the |
| word Etymology, we can surmise what an antique | | | | development of the mechanical timepiece. The first |
| really is. In all simplicity, it is something old; something | | | | styles of it lacked the pendulum which was |
| that has survived through the ages, something that | | | | developed only in the latter half of the 14th century |
| has stood as silent witness to the events that have | | | | and it was in the 17th century that clocks started to |
| effectively changed the world and all in it. This is | | | | have hands that were made to tell the time. |
| probably the main reason why people are drawn to | | | | Auction houses usually features antique clocks from |
| gather and collect antique pieces. | | | | desktop size to grandfather clocks. |
| Somehow an antique table, dresser, book, jewelry | | | | Some famous displays include a Louis XV Boulle |
| and others provides them with a look into how things | | | | bracket clock, with an auction price at $56,000. A |
| were in the past. Owning an antique does not only | | | | carved column shelf clock created by Mark |
| mean owning a piece of time and history. It is also | | | | Leavenworth was auctioned at $53,900 and another |
| viewed as investment. The older the piece is and the | | | | finely crafted shelf clock made by Asa Munger went |
| better shape it is in, the handsomer its price will be. | | | | for $57,750. But the all time record high was on |
| Antiques can be found everywhere, from specialty | | | | October 2000, for an 18th century mahogany |
| shops to auction houses and most of the time they | | | | American tallcase clock which fetch $611,000 at |
| are handed down as heirlooms - pieces that have | | | | Christies Auction house. |
| been a part of the family or a part of its heart for | | | | |