Generic Description:

Period: Early to Middle, but also Later period.

Escapement: Single and double foliot; late examples possibly with balance wheel.

Power Source: Lead weights

Construction: Lantern with square or rectangular pillars. Early iron / later brass.

Kake-dokei utilise the same style lantern clock as other Wadokei in this Category, however the Kake-dokei is intended to typically hang on the central pillar of a Japanese House – Tokobashira (床柱).

Background to the above Wadokei

Purchased on-line from Japan in 2015. The Seller’s description stated “not working – but nice to look at” !!! It was in need of extensive chemical cleaning and refurbishment.

This Wadokei is clearly the oldest in my collection possibly dating from circa 1725. A similar Wadokei with Waricoma dial is featured in The Journal of The Wadokei-Gakkai / The Society for Japanese Clocks & Watches No.45 published Mar. 2013. The article details research carried out on behalf of the Fukukotobuki Institute covering the Japanese Era – Kyoho 9 (1724).

Restoration of the above Wadokei

The Wadokei was basically complete save that the replacement brass bell was too rounded and fouled the alarm hammer, and was replaced with an alternative less rounded bell.

Also, 50% of the hour markers of the Waricoma dial were missing their silver engraved facings, as well as many of the half-hour facing plates were missing. These were replaced with new ones with engraving as appropriate.