It is with much sadness that I report the passing of Dana J Blackwell, one of the greats of the horological world. He died at his home on June 14th, a few weeks before his 90th birthday.
After working as a designer of aircraft instrumentation and a teacher of Mathematics and English Literature, he became a Vice-President of the Howard Clock Products Company in the 1970's - it was Dana who rescued the Howard clock and watch records from destruction and presented most of them to the Smithsonian Institution. Dana also served as a Director of the American Watch and Clock Museum in Bristol, CT until the 1990's. He wrote numerous articles on horological and historical matters and gave countless lectures throughout the United States. Until age gradually forced him to cut back on the activities he loved, Dana continued to be a restorer of, and consultant on, clocks, watches, chronometers and electric time installations to "Industry, Museums & Collectors." In his 'spare time,' he carried on correspondence with friends and acquaintances around the world.
Happily married to Verna and content to live in the same lovely house in Connecticut (it retains to this day some gas lighting), Dana travelled extensively both in America and Europe. During his travels, he sought out many of the remaining workshops and individuals who were involved at the highest levels of horological practise. This led to personal friendships with Henry Stern, owner of Patek Philippe, Geneva, as well as the chronometer making firm of John Bliss in New York, the firm of John Ritchie in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the then leading London watchmaking firm of Charles Frodsham. The latter firm's products were of particular interest to Dana and his collection of Frodsham chronometers and watches stood as one of America's finest, if not the largest, and Dana was able to contribute much information for Vaudrey Mercer's book about the different Frodsham firms, published by the Antiquarian Horological Society in 1981.
Always careful in his choice of words, yet unstinting in his willingness to share correct knowledge on a large and varied list of horological topics, both antiquarian and practical, Dana will me missed by many.
Nearing ninety, Dana decided that the time had come to part with some of his collection, and I was privileged to have been asked to act as his agent in this matter. Continuing to act for the family, I will be posting many interesting watches and watch movements over the coming months,
David Penney. June 2007
Click image for enlargement
Ref:16727a FRODSHAM, Charles 'AD Fmsz' 84 Strand, London, No 9688. A large, top quality 21 jewelled movement by this famous London firm, circa 1860. 22-size fullplate fusee movement stamed IG (John Glover), jewelled to the centre, the cap stamped 'J.S.' Single-roller lever escapement. Compensation balance with spiral balance-spring. Enamel dial also signed Arnold, with original blued-steel hands. 50 mm diameter.
Dana J Blackwell collection. Charles Frodsham (1810-1871) the most famous of the Frodsham family of clock and watch makers, began to sign some of his best watches with AD Fmsz. This code stands for the date 1850 signifying, it is thought, his new caliper of watch designed in 1850. Frodsham, in partnership with John Roger Arnold in the 1830's, continued to use the Arnold name for his best watches for many years after the death of John Roger in 1843. Dial with smalland very faint hair crack at 6, otherwise a very good example of this makers work. Not cleaned by me. Working. £125.00
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